


Tilted Wings

by Ruunkur



Category: The Legend of Dragoon
Genre: All of the old Dragoons make an appearance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Incomplete - Not going to be finished
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-06-10 01:12:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 26,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15280305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: Raised on the aftermath of the Dragon Campaign, Dart is the son of the war heroes Zieg and Rose. On the twentieth anniversary of the Dragon Campaign, Dart goes missing. He appears nearly twelve thousand years later, the dragoon spirit he holds having been called forth to right an ancient wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, AU-ish!
> 
> All the Dragoons survived the war, they enacted a law of killing the Moon Child upon finding the Winglies' records. Dart is the son of Rose and Zieg, born two years after the war. I don't remember what sparked this

They sit in a circle, watching the crystal before them form an image of the thing they sought. The man in the hood moved, reaching out a hand before he pulled back.

"Are we sure this is the only way?"

There was a hum, a female moving to study the image closer. "It would explain the impact on the timeline. He disappeared, when he was eighteen."

"Charle," The man turned towards her, clearing his throat. "We are messing in things that none of us understand."

Charle nodded, resting her hands in her lap. "These are people that I once knew, Lloyd." She reminded him. "Damia honored us with the task of keeping watch over this. The people have failed and we must act to save our home."

"As a species, perhaps they deserve to have their destruction." Lloyd replied, voice low as he met Charle's gaze. She cocked an eyebrow, waiting for him to proceed. "There are humans who believe that it is Soa's divine will that the Moon Child lived. We are to be greeted with holy peace,"

"In the form of destruction," Charle agreed, letting out a sigh. "It was predicted that the sacrifices would fail. That there would be a time where the dragoons were needed once more. When that time was, no one knew. But now, we must look at it this way. We can call forth a legendary hero and have them help us-"

"They would be trapped!" 

Charle looked towards the young woman that had spoken, inclining her head. "And yet, I see that this is the path that is taken. We are talking about our entire existence hanging in the balance."

"Damia spoke of the disappearance of a child." The young woman to Charle's right spoke, her gaze fixed on the crystal. "When I saw her last, she said he had disappeared, twenty years after the end of the war. His parents searched for him.."

"Dart Feld," Charle agreed with a nod. "He was born two years after the Dragon Campaign ended. He is the son of Rose and Zieg."

"We're calling forth a legendary hero, not some child." Lloyd commented. "What does this Dart have to do with anything?" Charle chuckled, closing her eyes.

"Than you will offer us your aide, Lloyd?"

"Of course," Lloyd moved to pull the hood down, staring at the gathered Winglies. "If this means our continued existence, I will do whatever I have in my power."

"Thank you," Charle stood, holding out her hands and letting out a low hum. "Tonight, we shall gather our power and call forth the legendary hero that will aid us in our quest. A dragoon holder, who will know what we need in order to fight. The spirit of the dark dragoon, called forth through time, to aide a world scarred once more."

The group moved, focusing their power on the area in front of them, the image of the dark dragoon spirit plain in the waters.

***

Dart moved through the routine as he heard the laughter. He was staring out of the windows in Vellweb, watching the occupants celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Winglies' defeat, his hair tied back as he thought. He slipped away from the window, his footsteps light as he walked to his mother's personal study.

It would be ages before she returned from her visit to speak with Emperor Doel. He inched forward, reaching out a hand as he marveled at the dragoon spirit.

"Hey Michael," he whispered, his gaze darting to the door. Both of his parents were out, leaving the eighteen year old to his own devices. He had handled the spirit several times in the past year, growing acquainted with both his father and his mother's dragoon spirits. It was their belief that he and his younger sister -who was a mere ten year old at the time- would inherit their dragoon spirits.

He watched the stone shine brighter, his gaze darting around the study once more. While Dart thrived on the stories his parents told, he also understood the caution they had when it came to the spirits. As he had met the other dragoons, he grew to learn more and more of the cautions and their places in the world. He sensed the hesitant warmth of the spirit below his hand now, the dragon unwilling to waken from his slumber.

"Just wanted to say hi," Dart murmured, dropping his hand to the desk and letting out a sigh. He considered the options before him, pulling out his mother's chair and sitting.

Most days, being the child of two war heroes felt surreal, as they handled the day to day and Rose had been forbidden from cooking when an experiment with Dart had gone wrong. The experiment had resulted in Damia dousing the kitchen completely in water, Zieg unable to decide if he should laugh or be concerned when Rose appeared soaking wet. Dart had settled on laughter, Damia joining in.

The young water dragoon was a source of amusement and enjoyment for Dart, often agreeing to watch the young child as he grew up. He never stopped marveling at the things she created with her magic, at the way water listened to her. It was far beyond the reach of the magic his mother or father could do with the dragoon magic at their command.

His second favorite dragoon out of the seven beyond his parents were Syuveil, knowledgeable in all things, it seemed to Dart. He had asked the man endless questions as he grew up. It had started with silly things, those questions soon morphing to the more serious topic of the war and how it had happened. The debates between the two could bore anyone to tears, but Dart always found everything the jade dragoon had to say fascinating, though Syuveil refused to speak on the topic of death.

He had asked him once and the man shook his head, saying there were things that kids should not have to understand. He had felt Rose's hand on his shoulder at that point, saying it was time to go home.

He contemplated these facts as he stared at the dragoon spirit, a warmth flooding through him as the dragoon spirit reacted to his presence. He held his hand just inches away from the stone, looking up when he heard the door open, pulling his hand away.

"Hey Dart, your mother is looking for you."

He met the gaze of Syuveil, a guilty flash passing across his features as the jade dragoon raised an eyebrow.

"I know," Dart moved off the chair, standing and meeting Syuveil's gaze. "But it's like..."

"A moth to a flame?" Syuveil offered. "Dragoon spirits will call to their like. It is unsurprising that both the red dragoon and the dark dragoon call to you."

"Only the dark," Dart met the man's gaze, watching the baffled look across his face. It was the same one that his mother had given him, when he admitted that he felt called to the dark dragoon, while the red dragoon lay silent to him.

"I think that we raise children in our shadows." Syuveil mused. "And often, we do not realize that we are doing it. To be raised in the shadow of a war will often cause confusion to a child. If you were to meet a Wingly, what would you do?"

Dart hesitated as he considered the question, frowning. "Kill it," he said after a moment. "They've done so much harm to humans as a whole, do they deserve to live?"

Syuveil nodded, unhappy but unsurprised. "And if it was a young Wingly, who never had the taste of war. Who had grown up far from this?"

"They don't deserve..." Dart frowned as he considered the question, shaking his head. "They all bare the taint of their ancestors."

"And we dragoons, who killed both humans and Winglies to topple their empire?" Syuveil asked, leaning against the doorframe as he assessed Dart. "Do we not deserve the same justice of a young Wingly who lost their own parents to war? One who never had the taste of what the Winglies did-"

"They tried to play god." Dart protested.

"And while they played god, they parsed the secrets of Soa and saved the world from death every one hundred and eight years." Syuveil pointed out. "Surely due to that, they must have some good in their hearts."

Dart looked away, feeling the pointed stare bore into him. He nodded after a moment, bowing his head. "I don't understand." He admitted.

"Then you have come a long way from someone who would argue that they deserve death." Syuveil replied. "Each person, if they're human or not, must be judged for the life they live now, not what their ancestors have done. If we were to judge them on their ancestors, we would never be free of their sins. And you and I would be in the same position as they. For we, too, bare the weight of our family sins."

"I still don't like them." Dart grumbled, his gaze resting on the dragoon spirit before him. He looked up when he heard Syuveil laugh, a smile on his face.

"Time changes everything, come. We are going to be late for the feast and Rose wants you there."

Dart turned when he heard a click, watching the tower grow colorless. He opened his mouth, reaching out to grip the only thing with color-the dragoon spirit-before he was falling through a mass of gray, his breath stolen away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything else I wanted to update, got updated today. So I decided to finish this chapter and update it as well!

There was a flurry of activity as Syuveil ran to Rose's desk, searching for where both teenager and dragoon had gone. He cursed, turning and calling forth his dragon. The beast was agile, already at the window upon the frantic call. With a quick word of warning, he sent the dragon off to find Rose and Zieg, his gaze scanning the room once more.

He clasped his hands in front of his stomach, letting out a low sigh as he smelled the scent of Wingly magic on the air. "They will move heaven and hell to find their son once more." He breathed into the air.

He turned when he heard the footsteps echoing up the stairs, bracing himself as Rose leapt into the room, a snarl on her lips. "Where-" she began, making a full circle of the room before she registered what was wrong. "Michael..."

"The Dark dragoon spirit has vanished with Dart." Syuveil hated to be the bearer of bad news. He saw Rose freeze, her face going through a mask of emotions. She settled on rage, Syuveil taking a step back. He knew what a danger Rose could be when she was angry.

"What happened?"

The voice caused Syuveil to look out the window, Zieg perching on the edge before he stepped in fully, the light of the dragoon surrounding him before he stood in his formal wear for the banquet they had been about to attend.

"I was speaking with Dart, on the matters of sins and what our forefathers would have likely passed on to us. The tower grew colorless, like the light was being sucked out. The Dark Dragoon Spirit was the only thing of color before both it and Dart vanished into thin air." Syuveil explained, keeping his words precise.

"Winglies,"

Both parents spoke at the same time, Zieg already launching himself out of the window, transforming mid fall before he was off to warn Emperor Diaz. Rose looked lost as she glanced from her desk to Syuveil, her hand clenched around the hilt of her sword.

"I will find whoever did this," she breathed, "and gut them for daring to take my child."

"There are few enough Winglies left that would be able to call forth a bound spirit." Syuveil cautioned. "Is it possible that one of the more powerful Winglies had survived the war?"

"Every single one that had even more than a tenth of their infernal power was killed in the purges." Rose said, voice void of emotion. "It nearly wiped them out, and those that were not slaughtered went into hiding. It was the first thing we did, you know that."

"I know," Syuveil responded. "I believe that we will find Dart. Perhaps it was a ill guided prank that a few unwise, younger Winglies thought to pull. It seems as if the Spirit is what they wanted, and Dart was..."

Rose stepped towards Syuveil as he spoke, the dragoon noting the rage in her eyes.

"I do not feel the Dark Dragoon Spirit calling to me. There was a panicked cry, which I came to answer before your message reached me. If my Dragoon Spirit was anywhere on this world, I would know. It has vanished. With my son. I mean to find the Winglies that had decided this would be a prank and I will kill them if I do not find my son in one piece. Mark my words Syuveil, I do not need my Dragoon Spirit to do something so simple."

She took a step back as she spoke, Syuveil keeping his face passive as he heard Damia run up the stairs.

"Zieg says Dart is missing?" She asked, stepping into the room. She tensed when Rose turned to her, noting the tension in her shoulders.

"He and my spirit." Rose said, reaching up to touch the pendent dangling from her choker. "Damia-"

She closed her eyes, focusing on the room around them and the magic remnants that still lingered. She spread out her hands, the room washing itself in blue light before she opened them.

"The ties of the spirit have been cut. I would be unable to track it. I am sorry Rose, it no longer is bound to you..." Damia grimaced, Rose tilting her head and letting her hair hide the emotions that crossed her face.

"I will find my son." She promised, brushing past the youngest Dragoon. Damia looked up, meeting Syuveil's gaze. He nodded, taking in her startled appearance.

"Rose is single minded when it comes to her children." Syuveil offered, placing his hands behind his back. "Damia, if there ever comes a time, know that I trust you to do the right thing."

"Right thing?" Damia frowned, pressing her hands to her chest.

He nodded, stepping past her. "For now, I suggest you keep a close eye on their daughter. I shudder to think what would happen if she were to go missing as well. If this is to piss off Rose and Zieg, they have surely down what they set out to do. If this was....something else, then I fear that the matter of the Moon Child may not be truly put to rest, despite the assurances of the child slaughter every one hundred and eight years. We will need someone who can watch when we pass on."

"Syuveil..." Damia frowned as she touched his shoulder. He turned, meeting her gaze with a tired look his own. "I do not know what I can do, but if I am the one to do it, I will do my best."

"Thank you," Syuveil smiled, Damia joining him in walking down the stairs, meeting a confused Shirley along the way. Syuveil explained the situation, Shirley tensing before she fled to find Belzac and their own child, wishing to check on them as soon as possible.

Damia watched the exchange, gaze travelling to Syuveil as she considered his words.

***

Dart landed on his feet, the Dragoon Spirit tucked in a pouch along his belt. It was dark where he had landed, his feet soaked from the water underneath him. He raised his eyes, meeting several cold gazes. He was moving before he had registered what had happened, his sword meeting the silver haired man’s sword with a clang.

"Where am I?" He demanded, digging his feet into the water and meeting the man's gaze. He felt himself be pushed back half a step, the pulsing of the spirit in his pouch a warning to the man.

"You are on the edge of Seles,"

Dart turned his head only a fraction when he heard the voice, his eyes trained on the threat in front of him. The man scoffed, pressing harder.

"Why?" He asked, tensing as he heard a second pair of footsteps in the water. He dropped his blade against Lloyd, swinging it in an arc to block the next attack. He snorted, Lloyd taking a step back when he heard the cough and a hammer came between the two men.

"Enough," the voice said, Dart following the hammer to look at the silver haired girl that wielded it. "We did not summon him to fight, Lloyd."

"Why did you summon me?" Dart demanded, turning to look at her. The woman shifted, lifting her hammer up and resting it across her shoulder. She cocked an eyebrow, pulling out a blue crystal and showing it to him.

"Like calls to like and we need your help." She said, watching as Dart pulled the Dark Dragoon Spirit. He stared, stone faced, as the spirits reacted to each other, glowing brightly. "They others have been lost. We have a...problem that one of only the myths can we call to for help."

"Who are you?" Dart asked, placing the spirit back into the pouch as the woman mirrored his actions.

"My name is Meru. As Charle said, we-" Meru began.

"What happened to Damia?" Dart demanded, Meru frowning at him. She glanced over to the other woman, Lloyd lurking behind her shoulder, tense like a cat in a cage.

"She passed, nearly three thousand years ago." The other woman stepped forward, meeting Dart's gaze. "We are in the one hundred and eighth cycle of the moon child being born. Something went wrong, eighteen years ago. It seems as if we had not found the correct child. Now, something stirs to try and claim her for their own purposes."

"A hundred and eight..." Dart frowned as he did the quick calculation. "Eleven thousand six hundred and eight two years...passed in the blink of an eye. What the hell have you done?"

"Something we would not have done if we had known-" Lloyd began, Meru turning to glower at him.

"Enough, enough mistakes have been made without you casting blame on the situation as well Lloyd." She warned, turning her attention to Dart. "We will be able to send you home, when everything is said and done."

The woman hesitated at Meru's words, holding her tongue as she saw the girl glance at her. She nodded in quiet agreement, folding her hands behind her back. "Over the years, the Dragoon Spirits have fallen out of use. There was only one that we knew of that was still in active use, the Blue Sea Dragoon. Damia passed it along to Meru's family. We worked closely with Damia to know of any disruptions in the Moon Child sacrifices."

Dart sheathed his sword, folding his arms over his chest. "So why call forth another Dragoon user?" He demanded.

"A lot of things have fallen to myth. With someone who has walked the history, we thought we would have a better chance." Meru explained. "The man is Lloyd, and to your left is Charle. We need your help, please."

"He's just a child." Lloyd scoffed, Dart glowering at him. He felt the pulse of the Dark Dragoon Spirit in the pouch, recalling his mother's words. He straightened, meeting Meru's gaze and ignoring Lloyd.

"Where are you hoping to find the spirits?" He inquired, a bitterness in his voice as heard Syuveil's voice once more, the conversation cut tragically short. "Let alone those that would be possible candidates for the spirits."

"We were hoping..." Meru sighed, bowing her head. "We wanted to start with the old capital."

"Vellweb," Dart frowned. "Has it been abandoned?"

"Yes, nearly five thousand years ago." Charle pressed her hands into her skirts.

"We'll start in the Silver White Dragoon temple." Dart turned, meeting the gazes of the three people. "And, from there, we will track down the Moon Child and kill them without hesitation."

"We still have to find-" Meru began, Dart meeting her gaze.

"We will find the Moon Child, we will kill them, and you will send me back to the past." Dart growled, Charle looking at the others. She nodded, meeting his gaze.

"We will send you back." She promised, feeling unease spread through her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trying to update this once a week. Or, as chapters get done.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Not sure how much longer I will keep employing the scenes from the Old Dragoon's perspectives while writing the time that Dart is in. They are fun to write though. And ALL the times I had to correct Kanzas from "Kansas" cause my word doc decided to Auto correct.

Dart stayed near the back of the group as he watched the three figures. He felt uneasy as they walked, unable to place what was wrong. He felt his fingers twitch, drawing his blade as the monster sprung out of the bushes. Charle took a step back, eyes wide as Meru lunged forward. She greeted another monster with the hammer she held, the pair finishing off the enemies without breaking a sweat.

Charle shook her head, finding her hands fidgeting behind her back.

"Why are we going to the Silver White Dragoon temple? Would it not be better to search for the moon child first?" Lloyd demanded, Dart bringing his gaze to the man.

"Who was the supposed Moon Child that was killed?" He asked.

"One of the twin princesses," Charle spoke, raising her gaze to Dart as he sheathed his weapon. "Princess Louvia of Mille Seseau,"

"And her sister?" Dart asked.

"Vanished without a trace," Meru spoke up, her gaze clouded in confusion. "They mistook the children...didn't they?"

"The Silver White Dragoon Temple should offer us some aid and possibly the dragoon spirit itself, if we are lucky." He ignored Charle's question in favor of answering Lloyd's. The group returned to silence, Dart feeling eyes on him as they walked.

"What is the political climate in Serido?" Dart asked, needing something to fill the silence that lingered.

"King Albert is currently fighting against his uncle, Doel, who has titled himself emperor. It's split, currently, but..." She hesitated. "The town we were near last night was destroyed due to the war. It is rumored that Doel has managed to employ a dragon, Freyband. It's a nature aligned dragon."

"There's your Jade Spirit then," Dart considered the words and the rumors of a dragon, shaking his head. "It's impossible to control a dragon without other means."

"Can we not just kill more dragons and gain more Dragoon Spirits?" Lloyd demanded, his hand curling around the weapon at his side. Dart raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze.

"The only dragon that is capable of holding a spirit now would be the Divine Dragon. Even the original Dragoons were unwilling to go after such a dragon." Dart pointed out. "Going after it would be suicide. You are more than welcome to throw away your life. I am only here to kill your moon child-"

"We believe there is a way to put an end to the cycle." Meru spoke then, sliding into place next to Dart and smiled at him, though it was sad. "If it is possible to end the cycle here, rather than have it continue, we three would rather do that."

"And why do you three have so much say?" Dart raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with the statement.

"We were selected, I for my knowledge, Lloyd for his ability with the sword, and Meru because the Blue Sea Dragoon Spirit recognized her as the next owner. It had sat in silence for nearly three hundred years after Damia's death." Charle explained.

"Until I came along," Meru smiled in a way that made Dart frown inwardly. She was happy, floating as if it was natural to walk without a care, though the weight of her hammer should have dragged her down. "There's something about the spirit that calls those that don't fit in, you know?"

"I know Damia very well," Dart's words are clipped as he walked forward, the silver haired girl's shoulders slumping and she hesitates before chasing after Dart.

"How did you obtain the Dark Dragoon Spirit?" She asked, Dart's gaze sliding to her. He frowned at the question, Meru gesturing towards him. "It doesn't seem to be your element. Red-" she gestures once more at his armour, "seems more suited for the Red Eyed Dragoon Spirit, don't you think?"

"It often confused my parents as well," Dart offered in way of explanation. "They thought my sister would be the one to inherit the Dark Dragoon Spirit, but it reacted to me."

"Your parents?" Meru asked, looking at him with an innocence he couldn't place.

"Rose and Zieg Feld," Dart shrugged, seeing Charle twitch ahead of them. They were walking through the prairie, each of the party on the lookout for any signs of disturbance. Dart turned when he heard a high pitched whistling, staring at the branching road.

"You're the child of the two famous Dragoons," Lloyd rolled his eyes, Charle staring at him with a hardness as he glanced away. "Isn't that just great for us! We call for the parents and we get the son instead."

"I had no say in this matter." Dart pointed out, narrowing his eyes.

Meru let out a dramatic sigh, the trio breaking apart as they heard shouts. Dart turned his attention to the pathway once more, gesturing towards it.

"Hellena Prison," Charle took a step back. "Home of Frugal and all of his madness. We should walk away from that path, now."

Dart turned towards it, feeling the urge to walk forward. "I think we should investigate."

"You're going to get yourself killed." Lloyd suggested, Dart unwilling to spare him a glance as he headed down the path. Meru eagerly followed, Lloyd unwilling to let them out of his sight. Charle sighed, restraining from following the three youngsters.

"It's madness to go!" She warned, Dart glancing over his shoulder.

"Something's happening," he ignored the protests that followed him, heading towards the prison. He was stopped short when he saw that the gate was drawn up, Meru standing next to him.

"Lloyd," she turned towards her friend, eyes wide and pleading.

The man sighed, running a hand through his hair in consideration. "There's no point for us to be here."

"We need to be here," Dart focused on the small voice that was urging him forward. He glanced over his shoulder, jumping into the shadows as a cart came bundling down the road. He felt the spirit surge forth, protecting him as he snuck towards the wagon, sliding into the back of it. It was hardly a minute later before both Lloyd and Meru joined him, the girl fidgeting with each step.

"What are we doing?" Lloyd hissed, ducking low as the cart started to move forward once more.

Dart glanced at him, shaking his head. "Something about this place..." He was uncertain how to explain it, feeling the warmth that would draw the moth to a flame as the cart moved forward, the guards clearing it after finding nothing but shadows in the cargo hold.

"We left Charle behind!" Meru kept her voice low, Dart hearing the restraint as she moved towards the other two, her hand tight on her hammer.

"She'll be fine on her own." Lloyd promised, watching Meru's distraught gaze glance over her shoulder.

Dart shook his head as he scanned the area, listening to the chatter from the guards up ahead of the young woman that had been taken into custody from Seles. "What happened to Seles?"

"It was burned to the ground," Meru spoke, voice low as she edged away from the cargo. The trio glanced up as the man swung out of his wagon, frowning when he heard voices.

"Who's there?" He called, Dart tensing as he came towards them.

Lloyd stepped forward, straightening his shoulders and meeting the man's gaze. "You will tell no one that you saw us." He warned, voice low. The merchant hesitated, Dart glaring at him.

"O-of course," he turned to the back of the wagon as the three slid past him, Dart unwilling to show hesitance as they crept out into the main hallway.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lloyd hissed, grabbing Dart's upper arm. He spun the young man around, staring into his gaze.

Dart met Lloyd's eyes, cocking an eyebrow. "Breaking into a prison." he shrugged. "Tell me about Seles."

"It's a small town in the South of Serdio, though it is controlled by Basil." Meru explained, nervously tapping her foot. They were stopped, Meru glancing over her shoulder every few seconds. She ducked into the shadows, pulling Lloyd and Dart with her as a guard walked past, several more running behind him and shouting.

"Looks like they're already dealing with a break in." Lloyd hissed. "Let's get out of here before we get caught and continue on our way to the temple."

Dart glanced at him, shaking his head. "If we let every possible path slip us by, we never will know where we would have gone."

Lloyd let out a snort of frustration. "That's not the point!" He hissed.

Meru shifted her stance, the arguing having drawn the attention of several guards. She raised her hammer, one of the guards stopping short when he recognized Meru.

"Wingly!" He snarled, Dart startled by the proclamation.

***

Rose heard the click of heels against the floor. She didn't bother to look up until the steps stopped, a hand coming down on her desk.

"This is madness,"

She looked up, her gaze level as she saw the owner of the voice standing before her desk, resting his weight on her desk. Rose took an even breath, blinking once. "I would suggest you get out of my tower before I find an excuse to show you the express elevator Kanzas."

The man snorted, lifting his hand and crossing his arms over his chest. "You have not left your tower in nearly a month. No amount of searching through _paper_ will give you any insight as to where your son is."

"Three years," Rose spoke, her voice low, as she looked up at Kanzas. "There is nowhere else to look."

"Be angry at the Winglies for performing a bit of magic that none of us understand. Do not lock yourself away!" Kanzas snarled, Rose considering him. She tilted her head to the side, watching him fume as be began to pace. "It is maddening to see you sequester yourself away. Life still moves on Rose."

"I should have never saved you." Rose set her pen down, moving to stand. "It would have been best if you had managed to self destruct because I would not have to listen to you now." Her words were sharp as Kanzas snorted, ignoring the barbed comments.

"I would have rather died than see you become," he glanced around the room in disgust, "this."

"Get. Out." Rose moved forward, drawing her blade from where it lay on the desk next to her. Kanzas sidestepped the attack, raising a hand to knock the blade aside.

"Only when you do." Kanzas suggested, raising an eyebrow. Rose drew her blade back, tossing it onto the desk before storming past the man, slamming the door to the tower.

Kanzas rolled his eyes as he heard laughter, turning his gaze to see Damia hovering outside the window. "You didn't have to do it that way."

"She's out, is she not?" Kanzas leaned against the desk, looking at the notes that Rose had been studying. He moved several papers aside, his eyebrow arching higher as he saw several diagrams and explanations of Wingly magic spread across the workspace.

"Yes, I suppose." Damia came in through the window, landing on the floor and stretching. She released the magic of the Dragoon Spirit, running a hand down her pants as she moved to stand next to the Violet Dragoon. "She will only grow angier when she realized we looked through her stuff."

Kanzas stopped, looking at the young Dragoon with that _look_ that she knew so well.

"This was your idea."

"No, it was Zieg's. She stopped telling him what she was doing." Damia hesitated. "She talked to Syuveil about scanning Mayfil, seeing if the city was still active and going there herself to look for Dart. She's going to get herself killed, keeping up the way she is. He's worried."

Damia took the sheet that had the information she was looking for, sliding it into her pocket.

"Why did I help you?" Kanzas asked, taking several other pieces of paper, if only to throw Rose off what they had been seeking.

"Because..." She shrugged. "Thank you!" She turned, already jumping out the window. Kanzas watched as she transformed halfway down, fleeing to her own tower. Kanzas hurried down the stairs, feeling the angry stare of Rose when he left her tower behind. She narrowed her eyes, taking leave of where Shirley had been speaking with her and heading back up.

The woman sighed, watching Rose stalk off.

"She'll never be okay."

Shirley glanced at Kanzas when he spoke, startled by the statement. "Whatever do you mean?"

"She is going to be consumed with searching for her son for the rest of her days. It will only get her killed. Meanwhile, she's leaving her daughter and husband to try and pick up the pieces. She is never going to be okay. That is not something you can recover from." He tensed as Shirley moved, resting a hand on his shoulder.

They sat in silence, neither of them flinching when Rose came storming out twenty minutes later upon finding the missing documents. She walked right past the two, disappearing into Zieg's tower. Kanzas shrugged Shirley's hand off, disappearing with hardly a nod in the Silver Dragoon's direction, leaving her alone in the clearing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I get, "What is Chapter length consistency" for a thousand please?

Shirley folded her hands together as she stared out of the window in her tower, the breeze bringing to her the laughter of the children below. She glanced towards the door when she heard footsteps, standing when Rose entered.

"What are you planning?" The dragoon asked, stepping towards Rose in concern.

The woman tilted her head, hair falling in front of her face. "I am going to track down a Wingly and figure out where my son is."

"Do you plan on coming back?"

"No."

Shirley sighed but nodded. "And what will you tell Zieg?"

"I'm not going to."

She frowned at those words, watching as Rose shifted her weight to her left foot, her stance sliding into one of relaxment, though Shirley could see her fingers twitch towards her sword. "Would that not... Just break his heart?" Shirley asked.

"What happens when we die?"

Shirley frowned at the question, suddenly viewing Rose as the age she was when she first joined the campaign, rather than the battle hardened warrior that Shirley knew well. A young woman with very little sense of self, if Shirley had to sum it up. "Perhaps that is a question better asked for Syuveil."

"We've seen the death city, the birth city. What happens to humans who have been...tainted with the spirits of dragons and the blood of innocents?" Rose shifted, spreading her weight evenly between her feet. "Do we pass on, like the humans, or will we be judged differently?"

"I do not know." Shirley sighed, pressing a hand to her temples. She felt confused, as Rose stood before her.

"That is the same answer that Syuveil gave me. Goodbye Shirley,"

She watched Rose walk out of the tower, Damia running up the stairs nearly thirty minutes later. Shirley hadn't moved in that time, pondering and weighing the words that had been said to her.

"Rose is missing!"

Shirley turned to the young woman, watching the fear pass through her face. "She left to find a sense of purpose." Shirley spoke the words softly, watching as Damia's face crumpled.

"And didn't... Tell anyone?" The young woman whispered.

"No, she came to me before she left." Shirley shook her head. "Damia, what do you think happens when we die?"

The woman hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "Mermaids become part of the sea when they die. I...I don't know what would happen to me." She offered Shirley a sad smile. "I would hope that I don't go to Mayfil."

"The city no longer functions." Shirley stood, walking over to the young dragoon and hugging her tightly. "You will outlive us all Damia. You must promise to carry on our legacy. And through the years, keep an eye out for the young man that we lost."

"Dart,"

"Yes," Shirley nodded, watching Damia's face crumple.

"I will do my best, Shirley." She promised.

"Thank you,"

****

Dart took several steps back as the guard called out, Meru letting out a curse. There was a flash of light as Lloyd launched himself into the fight, moving faster than Dart could realistically track. He had seen the dragoons fight and even then, they had been a fraction of a second slower than the two winglies he was faced with.

He took a step back at the thought of the Blue Dragoon ever accepting a Wingly as the new bearer, his mind flashing to Damia as he recalled that she was half mer. It was a slaughter, that much he was certain of, as the two moved. There was no denying that he didn't want to fight against them, didn't stand the chance that either of his parents would have. As the thoughts flashed through his mind, he raised his sword to block one of the guards.

The fight against the five guards was over in moments, Lloyd looking down in disgust at the blood. Meru moved to restrain him, Lloyd taking a step back.

"We've already made a mess, let's get out of here." Meru's voice was soft, though there was a steel in it that made Dart want to not argue.

"We will continue, I want to know why they would take a girl from Seles and bring her there." It had been what the guards had spoken of before they had attacked.

"It was burned-"

"Exactly," he turned on them, eyes blazing as his hand went to hilt of his sword. "What would be so important about one girl that, after burning an entire town, they would bring her here?"

"Maybe she was the relative to a royal family member in Basil,"

Meru offered the suggestion lightly, tilting her head and watching as Dart narrowed his eyes. "Doel is looking to claim the land for himself, away from his nephew. If this girl were related to them, it would only cause issues later, if he were to get rid of Albert only for her to step up in his place."

"Meaning," Lloyd ground out, "we do not get in the middle of _their_ civil war. We brought you here to take care of the moon child problem and help us locate the other dragoons."

"I told you where to start your search." Dart drew himself up, his mind flashing to his mother.

"We need your assistance." Meru reached out, touching Dart's arm. She felt him tense, the man pulling away from her touch.

"You may have summoned me, but I do not consort with Winglies."

"What have you lost to our kind?" Lloyd hissed, his gaze scanning the prison. So far, they had been lucky in that no one else had spotted them. He doubted that would last for much longer.

"I grew up in the ashes of the war, there is little in my life that had not been lost to your _kind_." Dart kept his voice even as he took a step forward. "You may have drawn me here, but I will not be bogged down by you and your ilk."

"You will be lost without guidance." Meru tried, Dart offering a shrug.

"I will learn the way by myself."

"Let the man to his path." Lloyd sneered, eyes flashing. "He will not be dissuaded by our words. Let him flounder until he realizes he needs help. Come, we have left Charle alone too long."

Meru hesitated, glancing at Dart once more before she and Lloyd left the area. He nearly missed the exit when he blinked, finding himself in silence. He turned when he heard several more guards approach, a grim look on his face. He stayed in the shadows, listening to the rumors.

There was a girl near the top, taken into custody for whoever Doel was. There had been a break in consisting of two Winglies and a man in red armour. There had been a break out of a knight of Basil, though only the piece about the girl interested him.

He pulled himself away from the wall, heading towards the upper levels. He made sure to stay out of the way, listening to the rumors that were flying around. A man there, Winglies here, more breakouts than was possible. He snorted at the disorganized mess that was occurring.

He was studying the routes of guards outside the long hallway of cells when the man creeped up on him, a spear pressing into Dart's back.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Dart frowned, raising his hands slowly. It took him only two seconds to take stock of the situation and he turned, gripping the man's spears in another two before yanking forward. He watched the man in green lose his balance, eyes flashing in surprise at the action before Dart moved to steady him.

"I suppose I should ask you the same." He retaliated, the man in green snorting.

"I am Sir Lavitz Slambert, leader of the First Knighthood of Basil. I'm breaking out." He raised an eyebrow, leaning on his lance as he nodded at Dart.

"Dart Feld, not from here. Heard of a woman that had been taken away from her home. I thought I'd break in and save her." Dart pressed himself next to the man in the shadows, his gaze darting as he counted the seconds. The next round of guards appeared, quickening their step and beginning to check in the empty cells.

"Why would you want to break into a prison?"

Dart tipped his head back when Lavitz asked the question, raising an eyebrow. "What else am I supposed to do with my time?"

Lavitz blinked at the question, finding himself confused by it.

"It seemed like a better option, other than wandering around the country side with..." Dart hesitated, shrugging.

"Wandering the countryside when there is a war going on does not seem a wise decision to begin with. What do you know of the woman that was taken?"

"Nothing."

Lavitz raised an eyebrow at that confession, Dart unwilling to offer him any more information. They stared at each other for several minutes before before Lavitz gave him a slow nod.

"I will offer you my aid in searching for this woman. Do you know the area?"

Dart grimaced. "The only area I know is far from here. The...old capital, Vellweb is near where I grew up."

"Near Mille Seseau,"

Dart nodded to the man's assumption, his gaze flicking over his shoulder. They grew silent as another round of guards came, two more following behind the small party. Lavitz considered the man, beckoning him to come the other way.

"While I was prisoner, I heard them speak of a woman. They put her up in one of the higher cells. We may have to fight our way up and the way out to free her." He explained as they began to make their way towards the lifts.

"I will do it," Dart felt his fingers tighten around the hilt of his sword, considering the words that had passed between himself and Lavitz.

"May you find what you are searching for." Lavitz mused, Dart glancing at him. The pair grew silent as they moved, the spirit in Dart's pocket providing them shadows for cover. As they neared the lifts, they began to see the guard groups grow larger, Lavitz frowning.

"Why would they want to protect one woman?"

Dart glanced at him. "Perhaps she is related to the current royalty is Basil,"

"Albert has no other family than Doel." Lavitz fell quiet as they approached a group of guards, initiating a fight in the only way they knew how. It was over before it really began, Dart growing impressed by the man's ability and agility with the lance.

Both men are panting as they reach the upper levels of the prison, Dart running a hand through his hair. "How can a ship be so huge?" He grumbled to himself, Lavitz arching an eyebrow.

"Did it seem like a fun summer walk from the outside?" He was leaning on his lance, wiping sweat from his eyes. Dart let out a scoff, rolling his eyes.

"Hardly a fun summer walk." He tilted his head as he pushed Lavtiz into the shadows, both of them watching as a rather fat man ambled from the room, grumbling under his breath.

"...for just one girl, not even worth that much... Doel is out of his mind..." He continued to grumble and walk, Dart tensing as Lavitz reached out, touching his shoulder and shaking his head. They waited five more minutes for the man to stop pacing, turning and walking down the hall. Dart moved in those seconds, feeling something draw him on as he pressed a hand to the door.

He felt his heart leap, pushing it open. Lucky for him that the man had forgotten to lock it. His gaze travelled the room, his body seeming to freeze when he saw the young woman sitting on the bed, hands clasped in her lap. She looked up when Dart entered, a hardness coming into her eyes.

"I've already told you-" She began.

"I came to save you," Dart responded, the words feeling almost magical when he said them. He felt something in him stir and knew, deep down, that he would do anything to save this young woman that sat so straight on the bed. "My name is Dart Feld, and I have been sent to save you."


	5. Chapter 5

The woman stared at Dart for a moment before rushing forward, eyes wide. "Did you happen to see Claire anywhere while you were coming here?"

Dart hesitated at the question, shaking his head with a regretful sigh. "I have not seen many people. But, if we don't hurry, we may be caught here again."

Lavitz stepped forward, offering Shana a bow. "We shall return to Basil, perhaps we will be able to locate Claire along the way."

Shana nodded, stepping forward. She walked past Dart, glancing over her shoulder and frowning. "You look familiar, have we met before?"

Dart stared into her gaze, reminded of several of the girls he had grown up with. He shook his head, smiling sadly. "I come from a faraway place, I doubt that we would have ever crossed paths."

Shana glanced over her shoulder, moving to collect the bow and arrows that a guard had left behind. "If you let me travel with you, I get to fight with you as well." She warned.

Dart and Lavitz shared a gaze, the knight simply nodding. Dart moved to take the lead position, Shana in the middle, with Lavitz bringing up the rear. It was tense as they moved further away from the cell Shana had been locked away in. Dart felt his breathing grow tighter the farther they walked without encountering anyone. They were almost to where he had entered with the wagon before a guard signaled the alarm.

Dart let out a curse, the trio striking with a quickness he hadn't expected. The feel of an arrow twinging over his shoulder brought forth memories of his home, Shirley practicing with him in the training grounds, while his sister and Damia watched from the sidelines.

He gritted his teeth, pressing forth as more and more guards spilled into the room.

"Alert Frugal that the girl has escaped!"

"He'll have our-"

The response was cut off as Dart struck, feeling the dragoon spirit hum in his pocket. He counted the enemies, already seeming to slow -there had to be an end to the guards at some point- in their descent into the room. He took a step back, watching as Lavitz worked.

"Watch out!"

He lifted his blade as Shana cried out, feeling his heart thud as the room was illuminated with a soft glow. He felt his Dragoon Spirit respond, feeling the transformation that he had never been given the privilege of feeling at home -it was still his mother's after all.

He landed on his feet, spreading his wings and widening his stance as the last few guards dropped their weapons and fled the scene. He raised a hand, beckoning his two partners away from the prison. There was a screaming as Lavitz lowered the bridge, Dart hurrying them over. They heard a crash and a splash, Lavitz hardly glancing back.

Dart felt the spirit lose its power, dropping to his feet even as he ran. He let Lavitz take the lead, the man getting them well and truly lost in the prairie land so that no one could find their tracks. He led them to an old shack, gesturing for the pair to rest.

"I believe we need to have a talk."

Lavitz leveled a gaze at Dart, the young man brushing a hand through his hair. "What about?" He asked, an air of casualness to his tone. He had seen the others transform when he was younger and they wanted to make sure they could still fight, in the case that anything were to happen. He had never thought that he would feel the joy of being able to fly, like when he was younger and Rose would take him into the air, before he got too old for the childish games.

"What the hell was that?" Lavitz asked, gesturing back towards the way they had came.

Dart pulled out the Dragoon Spirit, holding it up for Lavitz to see. He watched it pulse in his hand, growing brighter before dimmer, the shadows seeming to lengthen in the shack. "Do you know of the Dragon Campaign?"

"That's when the humans fought the Winglies." Shana spoke up, having been silent for the past several hours as they had fled the prison. She looked exhausted, though she had not uttered a single word of protest the entire time they had been travelling.

"During the Dragon Campaign, there were seven humans who were able to harness and use the power of dragons." Dart spoke, placing the stone back in his pocket. "It were these Dragoons, as they were called, that were able to take on and fight the Winglies, bringing in an era of peace and bounty."

"And every one hundred and eight years, all of Endliness comes together to sacrifice the Moon Child, the harbinger of death and destruction."

Shana spoke these words, her voice soft. Dart glanced towards her, feeling emotions he could not explain well up inside of him. He felt the urge to lay his sword down at this woman's feet, to offer her protection to the ends of the earth. Once, when he was young, he had asked Rose what it had been like to love his father.

She had answered that it was the hardest thing she had done, even more so knowing that either of them could die in the war, without ever knowing how it happened.

He swallowed back the swelling in his throat, deciding what he felt for Shana was different than what his mother had described to him.

"It's the Dark Dragoon, the Dragoon Spirit of the great war hero, Rose." Dart spoke as if he was telling them a secret, his voice low. "I've heard mutterings that there was a mistake, that hte moon child still lives. If it is true, there is a chance that they will try and head to the moon that never sets. I aim to stop them before they can reunite with the great tree and bring forth the destruction of the world."

"Why you?"

Dart turned to look at Lavitz, who had sat there while Shana spoke back and forth. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused by the question.

"Why not me?" He challenged.

Lavitz opened his mouth, confused as he watched Dart. "Why would the Dragoons come forth once more? There was rumor that a Wingly had come to possess one of the spirits, but most people believe that Winglies are a myth. They hardly know what they celebrate when it comes to the Moon Child's sacrifice. And with it being only once every hundred and eight years, there has been a fear that the tradition would die out and we would bring forth our own destruction."

Dart considered the words, nodding along in agreement. "If the Dragon Campaign has not been forgotten, even so far away in history that we are, then none would forget the promise that was made to continue to bring the Moon Child to sacrifice before they ever got the chance to bring destruction on us all."

"If it is Soa's will, should it not happen though? Aren't we only playing a game in which others had tried before?" Shana spoke, her question breaking the tension that had been building. She had her legs drawn to her chest, her chin resting on her knees.

"Who decided that we should die every hundred and eight years?" Dart challenged. "The Winglies had done the same, sealed away the Moon Child and its true body in the first place."

"Then does that not make us as bad as the Winglies?" Shana inquired.

"They enslaved humans, no one will be as bad as them." Dart growled, Lavitz narrowing his eyes.

"You speak as if you know people who were there."

Dart shrugged, turning his gaze towards the entrance of the shack. "My mother was a great storyteller," he offered, moving to stand. "Shall we see if there is anything to eat out there?"

Lavitz stood as Dart did, grimacing at his explanation but nodding in agreement to the food. They both left, Shana watching them before she went back to staring at the wall, her mind pondering the question of who Dart was.

****

"Mother?"

The woman looked up when she heard the voice, moving to stand from where she had been sitting. The desert winds were harsh, the sand scouring her skin in a way that soap had never been able to.

"Hello," the woman tilted her head, dark hair turned gray falling in front of her face. "Do I know you?"

"Mother," the woman sighed, brushing her own black hair out of her face as she stepped towards the woman. "Your name is Rose, you are married to Zieg Feld. You were once a great war hero."

The woman wavered, taking half a step forward towards the girl that spoke so fondly. She swallowed, raising a hand to touch the tear track that had made its way down her cheek. She was covered in dirt, the sands having blown her way for nearly a week now.

"I know you,"

She stepped forward, towards the younger version of herself. She reached out, touching the woman's cheek and feeling herself sob.

"I failed you,"

"No mother," the woman moved, wrapping her arms around Rose and supporting her fragile body. "You were lost in your grief."

"I still failed you," Rose whispered, hiding her face in the woman's shirt. It felt strange, relying on her for strength. She had always been the one to come to Rose and, as she grew older, to Zieg.

She listened to her mother sob, feeling herself shaken by how strongly that grief had consumed the strong woman that she had known before, when she was younger. She, herself, never understood why Dart had disappeared and why her mother had seemed to follow after him. She concentrated on the woman before her, broken as she was.

"Would you like to go home?" The woman moved, Rose looking into the face that she felt should reject her as she simply nodded.

"I would love to,"

The girl scooped her mother up, surprised and concerned to feel how light she was. It was a moment of juggling before she felt the Red-Eye Dragoon Spirit take over her, transforming her and giving her the wings she always desired. She held her mother close as she flew, bringing her home to the towers, though several had fallen silent in the recent years, silent save for the ghosts that wandered there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which an OC is introduced/becomes important. Hope that doesn't bother too many people.

It's quiet in the ruined halls of Vellweb, stones clattering as a figure makes their way down the crumbling steps. It's hard for them to move without stones falling and announcing their presence to the dead city.

They preferred it this way, knowing that there would only be ghosts there to greet them. There was nothing to be afraid in the city that once bustled with life, in a city that they once knew well, once ran up and down stairs with their brother.

The young woman stopped, moving a hand to rest on the pendent that lay around her neck. She was dressed in a gray cloak, her face hidden in shadows. It had been ages since she last been to the city, too long for her to truly remember. She moved her hand down, resting it on the sword at her hip.

"Who's there?" She called, hearing a stone fall into the abyss next to her. Vellweb had once been a proud city, once that she had been happy to grow up in, one that she had returned her mother to, before she passed.

"You seem deep in thought,"

She didn't move as she heard the man's footsteps, feeling Lloyd's hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off, turning to look at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Are you still hoping that the Ultimate Dragoon will respond to you?" She asked, voice honey sweet as the Wingly tensed.

"You are a fool if you think that is what I am after." He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

She cocked an eyebrow, watching him. "Why else would you come after me like a lost puppy, time and again?"

"The sacrifice failed and now the cult of the Moon Child looks to find the Divine Objects. It is time to end this farce once and for all."

The woman weighed his words, finding them truthful as she turned away, her gaze settling on the city. "My brother vanished, years ago when he was barely twenty. It destroyed my mother,"

"You have told me this, yes." Lloyd commented.

She turned to him, hands on her hips. "If I find that you and Meru had anything to do with his vanishing, I will have no problem gutting you where you stand."

"And what makes you think we did?" Lloyd inquired.

She smiled at him, only a half smile that she took no pleasure in. He froze under that look, his breath seeming to hitch before it began to breathe faster. "You smell of the magic that lingered in the room, all those years ago."

"That was what, nearly...eleven thousand years ago?" He asked.

She smiled, a full smile this time. "Nearly twelve thousand. But I did not forget what tore my family apart Lloyd. We have a common goal, you and I. I will not let that come between us now, but when this is all over..."

"What would I have to gain?" Lloyd asked. "I have known you but for a short time..."

"Where is Meru?" The woman's gaze darted over the walkways, her hood falling back to reveal her long hair, braided down her back. She lifted a hand to pull the hood back up, Lloyd catching it before she got a chance.

"The presence of the Dark Dragoon has been found, after all this time. Does that not interest you in the least?" He asked.

The woman snorted. "If that is all-"

"Dreya," Lloyd interrupted, the woman casting a quizzical glance at him at the use of her name. "Did your brother wear red?"

She weighed the question, eyes narrowing. "What did you do Lloyd?"

"It was Charle's idea." Lloyd began, Dreya heaving a sigh and pulling her hand out of his. "We thought that we may summon Rose, she latched onto the spirit itself. We never suspected..."

"Of course not," Dreya turned to look at the city once more, closing her eyes. "I have a visit to make, than perhaps you can lead me to this stray Dragoon of yours."

Lloyd offered her a smile. "He ran off to Helena Prison and we have not been able to find him since."

"You lost him."

Lloyd took a step back. "His hatred of Winglies obviously outweighs the want to be alive. He was chasing down the girl from Seles that was taken during the attack."

"You did not think to stop him?" Dreya demanded. "Or, at the very least, summon me for your idiotic idea?"

Lloyd looked properly chastised, Dreya feeling satisfied by the look. He weighed his options before deciding to continue speaking. "We did not think it through, obviously. If you were there, perhaps it would have been better. If we ever attempt such a thing again, you are welcome to cut off my hand."

"I don't want your hand." Dreya sighed, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back. She opened them again, staring at the stars that had begun to appear. "He will be no help to you in finding the Moon Child. Why did you summon the Dark Dragoon Spirit?"

"You and Meru both are useless for finding the other Dragoon Spirits."

"Your words are blunt, I appreciate that about you." Dreya reached forward, patting him on the shoulder. "I will find you in the morning and perhaps we can begin to correct this mistake that you have made."

"I have made?" Lloyd protested.

"Yes, for you had a hand in it, did you not?" She rested her hands on her hips, finding her frustrations with the Wingly growing by the second. "You and Charle both should have known better than to summon a Spirit to try and track other Spirits. For now, I have a promise to uphold."

"Of course Wanderer." Lloyd turned, jumping into the void with a snap of wings. Dreya watched him, returning to her trudge down into the broken city.

***

Dart studied the small group in which he had grown attached to over the past several days of travel. They talked and move in together in a way he hadn't thought possible, Shana offering both comfort and a needed relief to the group. In the back of his mind, he thought of what would become of the three Winglies he had left behind, the image of Damia's Dragoon Spirit being used by one of them making his stomach turn.

It was then, at the end of the path, that he realized that Lavitz had been leading them to Basil, the capital city of Serido. He stared around, eyes wide, at the city. It felt chilling, to be so far away from his own home and het feel as if he was meant to be there.

He turned towards Shana when she touched her shoulder, pointing at the people that were greeting Lavitz, many rushing towards him to give him news. They stood to the side for several minutes before Lavitz finally shook himself free of the people, turning back to them.

"We'll venture to the castle, then we can meet my mother." He offered, gesturing for them to come. Dart took a step forward, feeling Shana's hands dig into his arm. He glanced back at her, watching the fearful look in her eyes.

"I've never seen so many people," she admitted, her voice soft.

"My home easily has twice this many people coming and going every day." Dart said, his gaze sliding from Shana to Lavitz, who was waiting patiently for them.

"It must be a grand home indeed," Shana responded with a smile on her face as the pair began to ease their way towards Lavitz, the people letting the knight and his friends go.

"Grand city,"

Dart let his gaze wander, thinking of his home with a small pang of loneliness. Having left the Winglies behind, he knew now that his chances to return home were growing slimmer. He felt a disgust sweep over him as he realized that _Winglies_ were still messing his life up, even after the war had ended.

"I would like to see it someday,"

Dart's attention is caught by Shana's murmured words. He offered her a smile, though he felt it was strained. "If I can go back, I would love to show it to you."

Shana frowned. "Are you unable to return?" The trio had grown closer to the castle now, Dart's eyes appraising it the way he knew his mother and father looked at buildings, assessing the defendability of the place.

He glanced back at Shana as she spoke, offering her a small, sad smile. "Something like that,"

"This way!" Lavitz beckoned them on, the pair quickly speeding up as he stopped outside of the castle gate. They say the look of shock pass on one guard's features, the man quickly turning and running inside while Lavitz explained the situation with the remaining guard, introducing Shana and Dart.

Dart offered him a nod when the guard looked at them, eyes narrowed in distrust. There were words too soft for Dart to hear, the man edging forward as the guard stepped to the side, allowing the trio to past.

"King Albert will be joyed to hear of your return, Sir Lavitz." The guard bowed, Lavitz returning it with a nod. "He has been worried over your health for the past several weeks."

Lavitz nodded, glancing at the guard before he moved forward. Dart and Shana followed, Dart electing to ignore the stares they were given. He straightened his shoulders as Lavitz paused outside a small study door, watching as Shana tensed beside him. The pair exchanged a quick glance before Lavitz opened the door, stepping into the study and beckoning for the others to follow.

They stopped just outside of an empty desk, Lavitz clearing his throat as Dark peered past the desk into the small rows of books beyond.

"King Albert?" Lavitz called, his voice seeming to echo in the strange room.

"Lavitz!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, I do try and follow some of the timeline of the story, even if it gets skewed here and there. 
> 
> I apologize in advance for any personalities that get butchered in the writing of this.
> 
> Updating for my birthday!
> 
> Edit: I have family problems that have occurred. I don't know when I'll be updating next. I have a chapter written that I could post, but... I just don't know at the current time. 8/12/18.

"Lavitz, it's joyous news to hear that you have returned to us!"

Dart watched as the blond haired man came out of the cluttered bookshelves, turning to the knight with a smile.

"King Albert," Lavitz bowed as he spoke the name, Dart and Shana both offering their respects as the man's gaze swept over them curiously. "These are my travelling companions, Dart Feld and Shana. I have to give Dart my thanks for helping me escape from Hellena Prison."

"Please, let me know if there is anything I can do to offer you my thanks for returning Lavitz to me." Albert studied the two curiously, Dart shaking his head ever so slowly.

"I am seeking information the Moon Child." He said, finding the words odd to say as Shana and Lavitz looked at him curiously. In the past few days of travel, he had spoken to neither of them regarding his reasons for being in the region.

"Tricky business, the moon child. What interest do you have regarding the matter?" Albert asked, resting a hand on the desk. Dart shifted, feeling the weight of the king's gaze and meeting it with one of his own.

Dart offered him a small smile, watching as the king moved to sit in the chair behind the desk they were standing in front of. "I supposed the rumors are of interest to me." He began, folding his hands behind his back. "Many say that the Moon Child had not been sacrificed the last time that the moon turned red."

Albert offered him a shrug. "There is not much to say on the matter. I am not aware of how the sacrifice went. I wish I could be of more help. Please, will you join us for a dinner tonight? We are celebrating Lavitz's return home. It would not be complete without the two folks that helped him."

"We would be pleased," Dart watched Shana fidget from the corner of his eye, turning to look at the girl in concern.

"I'm looking for a woman that would have been in Seles during the attack, her name is Claire (Last Name). Is there a chance that..." Shana trailed off, lowering her gaze as Albert frowned.

"There were few survivors from the attack on Seles. It is possible that Claire returned to the village after it was razed. We have had no refugees come this way, my apologies."

Dart rested a hand on Shana's shoulder, watching her from the corner of his eye. "We'll find her, I promise." He turned his attention back to Albert. "Do you perhaps know anything regarding the Dragoon Spirits?"

"Minister Nosh(look up) may have some information regarding the old tales. Many people have gone chasing the old myths, but none of them have been able to find the concrete proof needed in order to prove that they happened." Albert explained, keeping his voice even.

Dart glanced at his travelling companions, feeling the warmth of the Dark Dragoon Spirit in his belt. "I believe that they happened. So much of our history is clouded in doubt, but the existence of many things that were thought to be dead is proof that these things have happened."

"And where do you come from?"

Dart met the inquiring gaze of the king, "Mille Seseau."

"Far from home, aren't you?"

Dart nodded in agreement, considering the understandment. "It was a chance meeting that I was by Hellena Prison. I was meant to journey to the Shrine of the White-Silver Dragon."

Albert took in the information, frowning. "That's a strange place for a man to journey to, even more so being so far from home. What brought you on this pilgrimage?"

Dart offered the king a shrug. "I thought it was time to see more of the world." Had he stayed with his family, he would have started travelling with his parents, visiting different places within the next month. It was the closest to the truth he had to offer to the king.

"But to visit a shrine seems..." Albert considered his words, shaking his head. "I should be thanking you for saving the life of Sir Lavitz, rather than questioning why you were in the right place at the right time. Thank you, Dart. It is a debt I will wear heavy for many years."

Dart shook his head, his mind jumping as Albert walked away from the desk, his gaze scanning the shelves. He selected a book, flipping through the pages before walking back to Dart. Dart looked down at the small book that was held out to him, his gaze darting up to Albert, questions burning on the tip of his tongue as he accepted it.

"Maybe you will find the answers you seek on your quest." Albert turned to the knight, his features growing dark. "There will be a meeting in the morning. Have you been home?"

"Not yet," Lavitz admitted, standing straighter as Albert watched him. "I wanted to see you first, assure you that I was safe."

Albert nodded, folding his hands behind his back. "And I thank you for that. It brings me sorrow to hear that the others of the First Knighthood did not survive."

"They fought with honor until the end." Lavitz promised. Dart watched the pain pass across Albert's features, recognizing it as the same pain his mother often wore when she spoke of those that had passed in the battle.

Albert blinked his eyes to clear away the expression, nodding his head in Shana and Dart's direction. "Why don't you take our guests out and show them the wonders this town has to hold?"

"Perhaps I can help." Dart glanced from the book to Albert, watching the surprise flick across the king's face. "Lavitz has told me a little of what has been happening to Serdio, between yourself and your uncle. It may not be much, the strength of one person, but I can offer help where it may be needed."

Albert considered the words, nodding in agreement. "We can speak of it tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate." His voice was firm as he spoke, his eyes holding a determination that Dart was used to seeing in his father.

"Of course, we will be back tonight." Lavitz nodded, turning and walking out of the room. Dart and Shana followed, the girl offering Albert one last curious glance before she followed the two men.

Dart looked around the castle as they descended down, watching as several people stopped to speak with Lavitz. It was slower going to leave than it had been to come, the man answering what questions there were of him. Finally, they reached Lavitz' home. The man led them inside, calling out with a grin.

Dart watched as Lavitz and his mother reunited, a sorrow washing over him as he wondered how Rose had taken to his disappearance. He turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, Shana offering him a comforting but sad smile.

"Do you have family?"

He hesitated as she asked the question, shaking his head after a moment. "Not here, they've passed on since now." He remembered Dreya, laughing with him in what had seemed like just that morning. The newly appeared grief washed over him, his hands clenching at his sides as he remembered that the Winglies had torn him away without regards to his own life.

The pair dined with Lavitz and his mother for that lunch, the trio setting off to the dinner welcoming Lavitz home. Dart settled in that night with the book of tales, entertaining the idea of how the myths had changed over the centuries.

****

Dreya pulled the hood from her head as she walked into the shrine, sensing the tired wakefulness of the place. She turned when she heard loud shouting, her gaze meeting Drake's.

"What are you doing here?" The man demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Dreya tipped her head to the side, smiling at him. "I've come to seek counsel from Shirley," she murmured.

Drake frowned as he heard the words, glancing over his shoulder. "And what sort of counsel would a child like you be wanting from a spirit?"

Dreya laughed at the words, gracing him with a bow. "Counsel that only a spirit could give. It is a matter close to the heart, you'll have to excuse me that I do not speak about it with you. Please, may I go visit Shirley?"

Drake hesitated, peeling laughter echoing from further back in the shrine.

"Let her pass,"

Drake stepped to the sides when he heard the words, keeping his gaze trained on Drey. She walked up the steps, finding herself in the clearing, the shrine just beyond a broken pathway.

"Shirley, it is a pleasure to visit with you." Dreya spoke softly, her words seemed to resonate with the stones as Shirley appeared from the air, floating down to stand in front of the young woman.

"You have not aged a day, Dreya."

She watched as Shirley smiled at her, a sad smile that she understood well. Dreya lifted a hand to run through her hair, feeling almost self conscious as Shirley studied her.

"They did not kill the Moon Child."

Shirley frowned at the words, peering closer to Dreya. "Has it passed another hundred and eight years already?"

"A hundred and twenty six. I am eighteen years behind on my visits." Dreya admitted, feeling a well of shame wash over her. "I have been trying to track the Moon Child, since the botched sacrifice, eighteen years ago. I fear that my quest has gone just as well as my quest for the missing five spirits."

Shirley heaved a sigh, nodding as Dreya moved to lean against a half crumbling wall, her gaze distant. "It seems as if time is starting to weigh on you, dear."

She looked towards the spirit, shaking her head. "I have news of my brother. It seems as if several Winglies have decided to tempt fate. They will be headed your way, possibly to collect the White-Silver dragoon spirit."

"How did they learn of its presence?"

"Dart directed them this way, mentioned it would be a good starting place for tracking down the lost spirits. Meru has every ounce of her predecessor's joy. She will track it down, even if it kills her. I believe she finds shame in having been unable to locate any spirits, since being granted the Blue-Sea Dragoon." Dreya fell silent as she finished speaking, recalling her past conversations. She lifted a hand to toy with the pendent on her choker.

It was only when Shirley moved that she stirred herself from the thoughts crowding her mind. "There is another war on the horizon."

Dreya gave her a hum of agreement. "The Winglies wish to fight against the Moon Child. Charle believes that there is a way to destroy it, once and for all."

"And?"

"As Lloyd has told it, it would require taking the Moon Child to the Moon That Never Sets. But, in order to do that, we would have to find the three sacred objects they created. Even Charle has refused to tell me of them and their existence. With them unwilling to share the information, there is no way for me to help them."

"And it's the matter of the missing child."

Dreya sighed as Shirley spoke, pressing a hand to her temples to contemplate the words. "Without the Moon Child, we would be unable to complete the rite, yes."

"Would it bring peace to them?"

Dreya frowned at the question, glancing at her mentor in confusion. Shirley met her gaze, blinking ever so slowly. Dreya finally let her shoulders slump. "It would mean no more sacrifices, if what the Winglies say is true. But the thought that they are looking to destroy the world also holds credence, to me. If they so wanted, they could spin tales that it is possible to stop Soa's plan, while also be trying to enforce that it happens."

"Years of hatred will cloud anyone's judgement."

Dreya nodded in agreement to the words, closing her eyes.

"Tell me, do you believe it is your brother that has been called forth?"

"I'm certain of it." Dreya spoke the words with a certain credence, knowing that Lloyd could have been lying to her. In that moment, though, she knew him to have been speaking the truth. "I plan on tracking him down, seeing it for myself. If it is truly him... Then, perhaps, he will be able to help guide us."

"Then you know the path that you must walk."

Dreya sighed as she heard the words. "There was something mother once told me. I believe it went along the lines of, 'You are free to sever the chains of fate that bind us'. If that is true, why is this story playing out?"

Shirley hummed, offering Dreya a look of what could pass as pity. "The creator has willed it, and we will try and struggle against our fate. I would keep your options open. Look for your brother, look for the Dragoon Spirits and know that I will be here, if you have any questions."

"And your bandit?"

"Drake will let you pass." Shirley laughed as Dreya smiled, standing and stretching. She always felt better after seeing all of those spirits that had not felt right to move on. Even if she could only bare it once every one hundred and eight years. It felt right to see them, speak with them, on the year the moon glowed red.

"Thank you for the council."

"If you ever have need of it, please come." Shirley hesitated. "And, if I see your brother?"

Dreya hesitated, glancing at the spirit. "Let him know that I will be watching out for him."

"Of course,"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, sorry about the lengths being really different between each chapter.
> 
> Still having the family problems. This is the last chapter I had to post. Someone shut off my laptop yesterday and lost me about five hours of writing via various fics. Not sure when the next update will be, sooo... Enjoy!
> 
> Enjoying the story? Leave a comment and let me know!

_"Dreya!"_

_The child froze when she heard the teenager's voice, glancing over her shoulder and sticking her tongue out at her brother. They were playing in the stairwell of their mother's tower, the pair running wild while their parents were at some meeting or another._

_It wasn't often, when they were younger, that their parents were home. They were left to the care of Damia, who had often spoken of the meetings only with an air of boredom. Many knew that she was pleased to stay and watch the children, the young woman having only been fifteen herself at the start of the war._

_"There you two are!"_

_Dart let out a small yelp as Damia appeared at the bottom of the stairwell, looking rather pleased with herself, to see that both of them were at least in one spot._

_"I was just going up to study." Dart came down as Damia raised an eyebrow, watching him shove his hands in his pockets._

_"You know she took the Spirit with her, right?"_

_Dreya glanced at her brother, watching him frown before he nodded. She glanced between the two, Damia offering him a small smile._

_"You'll have your chance to experience the wonders of working with the Dragoon Spirit when you're older. Fourteen is too young to be doing that kind of thing, you know?"_

_"No it's not!" Dart protested, his eyes going wide as he looked at Damia. Dreya took a step towards the older woman, knowing that tone in her brother's voice. When he started talking like that, it usually meant that there would be an argument to follow. "None of you were much older than us now."_

_"I was fifteen and the youngest. The others were between eighteen and twenty five. That is too young for people to be fighting in a war."_

_Dreya took a step back when she saw the look of horror in Damia's eyes. She turned her gaze away, Dart coming down the stairs and grunting._

_"What's the use of being told all these stories then?"_

_Dreya swallowed as she said the words, dropping her gaze away from Damia as the woman sighed. She ran a hand through her hair, glancing between the two children. "We want history to be known. If it is to die out, everything we have done will be for nothing."_

_"The Moon Child." Dreya glanced over her shoulder as Dart joined her on the lower level, his hand formed into a fist as he spoke. "That's what it all comes down to, right?"_

_Damia nodded, watching the two children. "There is still much to be done in the next few years. That is not something any of us can avoid. We can blaze a trail that will make it clear, in the end, what we wanted. Even if there are parts of our history that is lost, we can still ensure that our tale remains."_

_Dreya and Dart exchanged a glance, the teenager stepping past Dreya and pushing past Damia. She let him go, running a hand over her face as she turned her attention to Dreya._

_"History is going to repeat itself." The child stated, her gaze darting over to Damia._

_The woman sighed, "hopefully it will be far enough that none of us will be affected by it. Do you want lunch?"_

_"Sure!" Dreya followed the half mer down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder to her mother's tower. She saw Dart in the other direction, returning her gaze to Damia. She skipped forward, taking the woman's hand and chattering happily about her studies._

Dreya opened her eyes as she kneeled in front of the grave, her thoughts turning. She stood when she heard footsteps, her gaze resting on the light haired purple girl.

"Can I help you?" Dreya asked, resting a hand on the hilt of her sword.

The woman offered her a strained smile. "I'm looking for my sister." Claire hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "I'm from the town of Seles and it seems as if my younger sister has had some trouble befall her. I was hoping..."

Dreya nodded, "I'm headed to the city of Basil, then to Hoax. I do not know if I will be able to assist you in your search, but perhaps a traveling companion would be good. We live in troubled times."

The woman nodded, looking down at her hands. Dreya would see the fighter had tape covering her knuckles, a chill passing through her. "My name is Claire, thank you for the help."

"Of course," Dreya smiled, shaking the remnants of the memories from her as she led Claire to her campsite.

***

The weeks following Lavitz return had been filled to the brim. Now, Dart stood by himself in the castle, gaze sliding over the paintings that hung in the hallway. He turned when he heard footsteps, meeting Lavitz's gaze.

"What are you to the king?"

Dart asked the question before he could stop himself, watching as Lavitz froze. He looked at Dart, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you think we are to each other?"

Dart shrugged, "I suppose it's how one views you two. You are awful close, are you not?"

Lavitz sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I helped teach him how to use the javelin. He is my king, I don't believe that there is anything else between us."

Dart let out a hum, shrugging his shoulders. "What are the plans for today?"

Lavitz was relieved by the topic change, gesturing the way he had come. "I'm being sent to Hoax, our outpost there is being attacked."

"Let me go with you."

Lavitz frowned at Dart's offer, his gaze sliding to the side. When he turned, he saw Shana standing there like a silent specter. "Why would you want to come to Hoax? This is not your war, is it? Would it not be better for you to return to Mille Seseau?"

Dart shook his head. "There is nothing for me at home. I feel as if it would be more help to join you on your way to Hoax."

He stared at him, watching as Lavitz recalled their fight with Fegul. He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "We'll speak to King Albert regarding the matter. We could always use an experienced fighter on our side."

"If Dart's going, then I'll go as well."

Lavitz let out a defeated sigh when Shana spoke, closing his eyes. He should have been aware of gaining them both, when Dart had offered his services. They had been nearly inseparable since they had come to the capital.

"Very well, I'll inform the king-"

"We'll be glad for your knowledge and skill on the battlefield. As Lavitz said, this is not your war. Why would you fight for us?"

Dart watched as Albert appeared from one of the side hallways, his cape rippling behind him. He looked different from the Emperor Doel that Dart had grown up knowing. While he still had a body that lent itself to fighting, he didn't seem haunted as the others were with the burden of death. "I grew up, listening to tales of those who fought for justice. It may not be my fight, but it is a fight I can agree with."

He watched Albert and Lavitz exchange a look, something that he couldn't read. Albert nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And your family?"

"Dead."

There was no use in hiding it. If they had wondered why he was far from Mille Seseau -he had confirmed with texts that it was the land Vellweb was apart of, though there had been no mention of Vellweb itself- he was unaware. They looked surprised to hear that his family was dead, but Dart shrugged it off.

"You're a lone fighter than."

Dart nodded as he glanced at Lavitz, latching onto the idea. "I believe that you are fighting for the right side of a war, King Albert."

The man frowned, shaking his head. "There is never a right side of a war. On each side, people die and tragedy occurs. We can only do our best to minimize the damage. You will be leaving for Hoax in the morning. Thank you for your offer to help in a war that is not yours."

"War affects everyone, even if it is not ours to fight." Dart grimaced, his gaze darting to Shana. "When I walked into Hellena prison, I made a choice. This is a war that I feel is wrong."

Albert raised an eyebrow. "You seem so certain of yourself. War is a very bloody thing to witness. Are you sure you're up to it?"

Dart met his gaze, seeing the curiosity that lingered there. He offered Albert a sad smile. "I don't think anyone is ever ready for war. There are just things that happen and things that you have to do. It does not matter, in the end, if you are up to it. You either do or you do not. That was something my parents believed in fully."

Albert hummed, turning away. "I hope that we do not bring more harm than good to you."

Dart watched him and Lavitz walk away, turning to Shana with a frown. "Why did you offer to come with me?"

Shana shook her head. "I'm not going to sit by the side and do nothing. My oldest sister taught me how to fight. It is something I only want to do when it is most needed, but I do not want to watch people die while I do nothing to stop it."

"And if it means killing people to get to that peace?"

Shana met his gaze, unflinching. "We kill the sheep for food, do we not? Necessary sacrifices are what is needed. We cannot win a war without someone dying."

Dart nodded, holding out his hand. Part of him, he was unsure which part, truly cared for her. He wondered, briefly, if he would be able to stay and make a life with her. He grimaced inwardly at the thought, knowing that he wanted to return home more than anything.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow updates. I've had a family thing and haven't felt like writing this chapter. Also, when I did work on it, like the 90% of this chapter I did have written had gotten deleted cause it hadn't been saved and someone messed with my laptop soooo. That was a bummer.
> 
> Side note, Dreya's scenes are set a few days before Dart's.

"This is Hoax?"

Dart looked out the window at the small town before him, his gaze scanning the streets. Few people were out, those that were had hurried from area to area, making sure that they stayed out of the knights' way. Behind him, Lavitz and the commander of Hoax were talking, their voices kept low.

"Seles is smaller than this."

He glanced to the side when he saw Shana appear, resting a hand on the sill next to him. She stared out of it, her gaze guarded.

"It's different, growing up in a capital compared to growing up in a small place." Dart shifted, his gaze sliding to Shana as he considered the effects she had on his life in the past few weeks.

"I've always wondered how others lived. Claire spoke, briefly, about her hometown. She hadn't been back after a falling out with her father." Shana hesitated, her gaze sliding to Dart. "They spoke of a dragon being the reason so many towns had fallen."

Dart glanced over his shoulder to where Lavitz and the Hoax Commander still spoke, offering her a shrug. "If it is a dragon, perhaps we can take care of it."

His last words caught the attention of Lavitz, the man turning to him. "What do you know of dragons that you are so confident to take one down?"

Dart met his gaze, turning away from the window and Shana. "I know that dragons can be dealt with."

"There are few dragons that roam these lands, now. Many believed that they were wiped out during the Dragon Campaign." The commander spoke, a look of frustration on his face. "We have little time to speak about such things. The army will be here soon enough. We need to put a plan into place."

Lavitz nodded, turning his attention to the commander. "Regardless if dragons are present or not, we will keep an eye for them while we fight here. That is something that Doel will make use of."

Dart frowned, "if he's making use of it, it is possible that a Dragoon Spirit has fallen to his service. If that is the case, we need to be on the watch for that as well." He saw Shana and Lavits exchange a glance, his gaze on the commander.

"We fight a war." The man's voice was harsh, Dart merely offering a shug as he turned back to staring out the window. Shana reached out, touching the back of his hand with a small smile on her face. they hadn't talked about what had happened when they were fighting Fugal. It had been better to ignore it.

Dart stared out of the window, his mind drifting as Shana spoke about Claire. He was lost in the words, watching as Shana grew more and more animated. A flash outside caught his attention, Dart turning to stare out the window. He narrowed his gaze, hand falling to his sword.

"It seems as if all the plans that you are trying to lay are you going to be crushed. There is an army at your door." The words felt strange, coming from his mouth, though he had heard his mother say something along those lines when talking about the the final fight with the Winglies.

Lavits nodded as the Hoax commander moved forward, calling everyone to arms with a shrill whistle. Shana followed Dart out fo the building, the pair shadowed by Lavits just a few seconds later. Lavits glanced behind him, the commander staying at his desk while the three moved.

"The power you showed at Hellena prison, could that be something that would help us here?"

Dart considered the question, his gaze sliding to Lavitz. He gave him a sharp nod, his hand finding the Dragoon Spirit that weighed heavily in his pocket. "If we need the power, I will have it."

"Are you certain you can wield it?"

Dart turned his gaze to Shana, letting it linger a moment longer before he looked ahead. "I would do anything to help protect you, even if it meant losing myself to the madness that is the Dragoon Spirit."

"This is something you've done before, then." Lavitz sounded impressed while Dart just gave him a shrug.

"Not often, but often enough I know how to control it." Dart hid his grimace under a mask of seriousness, considering just how often he had actually used the spirit in a battle. Once, in all he knew. Shana's hand on his shoulder caused him to look at her, the girl smiling at him.

"I have faith in you."

He nodded, taking comfort in the feeling of her around him. It was quiet as the three walked to the space between Hoax and the impending army. Dart tightened his grip on the sword at his side, drawing it with a shout as he flung himself into to the fight.

***

Dreya walked into the ruined Neet, feeling Claire ghost behind her. She let out a low breath, closing her eyes and stopping.

"Dreya?"

She looked towards the woman, raising an eyebrow. "I lived here for several years, a long time ago." She explained, Claire nodding behind her. "It was eighteen years ago that Neet was destroyed. There was never a reason given, only that it was destroyed. It could have been when Doel began to take over." Dreya fell silent, Claire resting a hand on her shoulder.

"You look so young, though."

Dreya nodded in agreement. "Perhaps it's my beauty routine." She smiled at Claire, the woman giving her a blank look. Dreya let out a sigh, returning her gaze to the ruined town. "Though, my thoughts do wonder how you ended up in Mille Seseau. It seems far from Seles."

"I was travelling. First, to see if I could find my father. Now, it is to find Shana. I consider her my own daughter, though we are not blood." Claire looked to Dreya, a smile on her face. "What of yourself?"

Dreya nodded, reaching up to touch the pendent at her throat. "I had dreamed of having children, but I fear that time is long past."

Claire let the sentence linger in the air as Dreya turned back to the ruined city, lowering her head. She stepped forward, trailing her hand through the ashes and considering the scene before her.

"What would you have done, mother?" she whispered into the air, forgetting that Claire was there. "I see you, once a century, but you cannot give me the answers I need because you are too well captured by your own grief. Damn you!" She turned, drawing her sword and striking it into the wooden post next to her, watching the wood split under the blade.

She drew the weapon up, meaning to bring it down once more, before sighing and sheathing the weapon.

"Claire?"

The woman looked up, watching the sadness in Dreya's eyes. "What is it?" She stepped forward, her feet causing puffs of ash to be thrown in the air.

"If it were a different time, you would have been a different person." Dreya turned away, heading towards the building that was standing the best. It was an old church, one she knew well. It had once housed her, before they had turned into the type of people to worship the Moon Child.

She pushed open the door, walking into the main hall and letting her breath billow into the air. "It was here that they decided the Moon Child should walk again."

She could recall the meeting, as if it had happened the day prior. The priests were standing there, keeping their heads close as they discussed amongst themselves. Dreya had entered their midsts as a servant, though she didn't like what they promised to do to her.

They would raise the Moon Child, they would bring it to power, reunite it with the body in the Moon That Never Set. Holy peace would fall upon them. Dreya closed her eyes, tipping her head up and facing the sky. She turned when she heard a third set of footsteps, her eyes flashing as the giant stepped into the ruins.

"You must come."

Dreya raised her blade as the giganto raised his axe and rushed towards her. The pair clashed in the middle of the field, Claire watched with wide eyes as Dreya stepped to the side, avoiding the cut. The pair met again, the giganto snorting.

"Fighting is senseless, little girl."

Dreya clenched the rapier tighter, eyes flashing. "Emperor Doel had his answer." She parried the attack, feeling the anger fill her. "There is nothing he can give me that would make me fight for him." The words were met with a clash of swords once more, the giganto snorting as he worked to overpower Dreya.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was done, like three days ago, but I've had little to no internet to actually upload it. Enjoy~~

Dreya watched the fight from above and several yards away, eyes tracking the movements of the army. Upon Kongol leaving, she had spent several more minutes in Neet, unearthing the treasure that she had sought.

Next to her, Claire watched the battle, eyes going wide. "What is it that we gain by being here?"

Dreya let out a sigh, closing her eyes and lifting a hand to her forehead. There was a headache that caused thinking to be hard, her breath growing shaky. "I am looking for someone."

Claire let out a low hum, her gaze scanning the battle. She glanced at her companion in concern, watching the dark haired woman stand in one swift motion. The battle had turned, the defenders from Basil joining the fight. It amazed Claire at how easily they took to the fight, though she saw how Dreya tensed next to her.

"He's here."

The words were more of a breath than a statement, Claire turning to face her companion. "The one you are looking for?" she asked.

Dreya nodded, holding a finger out and pointing. It was hard to make out who she meant, Claire frowning in confusion as Dreya shook herself.

"I have been looking for him, for years." She let her gaze drift to Claire, her eyes shadowed in doubt. "With the resurgence in the Moon Child cult, I was uncertain if I would ever find him, or if I was far too late."

"You know such things about the cult of the Moon Child. How did you ever find them out?"

Dreya stared at the battle, Claire poised to ask again before she spoke,

"Dart!"

Her voice caught Claire unawares as the woman moved forward. In the battle with Kongol, she had been poised and unmoved by his telling her that she needed to come along. Now, she looked hard pressed, her face alighting with fear as the blond haired man in red armour surged forward, meeting with the golden clad warrior that Claire knew only as Kongol.

Dreya stood, unable to move as indecision took her. She watched the fight, recalling how ruthless Kongol had been. Only years of practice had saved her from his axe, though his movements could have been considered unrefined, if she compared him to the gigantos of the past.

"Dreya?"

Claire's voice penetrated the fog that had taken over Dreya as she watched her brother, the one that had disappeared so long ago. She watched the axe slice through the air, already jumping into action. She recalled, when she was younger, watching her brother learn under their father, sitting from the sidelines. When she was older, she had learned how to fight, not from her mother as she wanted to, but from another rapier master.

Her blade met the giganto's axe, Kongol letting out a snort as she stood in front of her brother, wings spread to give herself the extra speed needed.

"You again."

Dreya met Kongol's eyes, watching him lift his axe away.

"I have settled my debt with you. Why do you come back?"

"We have yet to settle anything, Kongol." Dreya warned, venom in her voice. She pressed the attack, feeling the warmth of the Dragoon Spirit flood her. Several feet behind her, she could hear the confused question that the woman next to Dart poised, her own brother unable to answer the question. The giganto turned, conceding the fight and leaving, axe hefted on his shoulder.

"Dart."

Dreya turned, feeling the spirit fade from her as she returned to her own form. She met the gaze of her brother, looking as young as he had when he left. She, herself, had grown several more years before she had met the Winglies and been given her task. She sheathed her blade, watching as Dart positioned himself in front of Shana.

"Who..."

The question was poised as he stared at the woman before him, his thoughts struggling to catch up with what he knew. Not even a month before, he had been home with his family. Now, he stood in front of someone who controlled a Dragoon Spirit that he had never seen before, let alone considered.

She lifted her rapier, blocking the axe and narrowing her eyes at the giganto.

"Have you not caused enough trouble?"

Dreya let out a snort, pushing Kongol back. It was just a few steps, the giganto narrowing his eyes. "There is nothing good that would come of Doel's wishes." She saw, from the corner of her eye, the flash of another pair of wings. The presence of the Dark Dragoon filling her vision as she did not allow her attention to waver.

"Dart!"

She heard her brother's name be cried out by several people as he and she faced down the giganto. The man, smart despite the consensus regarding gigantos, backed down. He lowered his axe, meeting Dreya's gaze.

"There is little that can come of your meddling."

Dreya met the giganto's eyes, feeling a chill pass through her. He left, pulling back what was left of Doel's armies from the small town of Hoax. It was a moment longer before she released the power of the dragoon, collapsing to her knees and taking a shaky breath. She heard Claire call out her name, the face of her brother appearing before her.

"Dreya?"

The name was a question to her, an endless sea of worry in Dart's voice as he took in his sister's voice.

"Did the Winglies kidnap you, too?"

Dreya let out a small laugh as her brother rested a hand on her shoulder, steadying her aching body. It took her longer than she wanted to admit to pull from the fog that the dragoon spirit left her, the sounds of Claire speaking behind her causing her to frown.

"The Winglies did not kidnap me, Dart." She raised a hand to the choker, keeping her eyes closed. Dreya was caught off guard when Dart swept her into a hug, his hace pressing into her shoulder. "I thought I'd never see you again." The words were mumbled into his hair, the people around them beginning to realize that they had won.

"Dart."

The man pulled away when another voice spoke his name, Dreya using him to stand and steady herself. While they were on the battlefield, they were in an enclosed area, sequestered by themselves for the time being. To the side, she could hear Claire and Shana speak, the surprise of them being reunited like this taking her.

"This is my sister, Dreya." Dart gestured as he spoke to the knight before him, his voice weaving through what was left of Dreya's conscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this story. I wish you all the best of luck in the coming chapters.


	11. Chapter 11

Shana sat on the stool next to the bed, watching the woman that lay there. It was two days after the battle of Hoax, Dreya having not wakened from the slumber that she had fallen in. Next to her, she could feel Dart grow restless, his gaze trained on the woman.

"She's your family."

He glanced up when he heard the statement, looking at Shana before returning his gaze to Dreya. "She is."

"Much like Claire is my family."

Dart let out a low hum, turning his gaze to the door when it opened. Lavitz stepped into the room, bowing his head. "We will have to leave soon, to report to King Albert. The inclusion of a Giganto worries me."

"They have done nothing wrong. Why does it worry you?" Dart's voice rose in pitch as he thought of the Giganto he had briefly faced. He could recall the pain on Kongol's face clearly, his own heart aching for what the man must have lost through the years.

"They were thought to have been killed off, in recent years." Lavitz shrugged at the comment, Dart shaking his head.

"That's..." he hesitated as he let the start of the statement slip out, reminding himself just how many years had passed since he had been born. His gaze flicked to Dreya before returning to Lavitz. "I would like to stay in Hoax until Dreya wakes up. She helped us win the fight."

"We won't be leaving for another two days... Shana, would you be able to hep in the infirmary? They need more hands there."

Shana glanced from Lavitz to Dart before she nodded at the man, leaving the room.

"She has the same power that you have."

Dart looked towards Lavitz when he spoke, standing from the chair and sighing. "Yes, she has the power of the dragoon as well. There's not many of the stones that are there..."

"If Doel has control of a dragon, could it be someone with a stone that is controlling it?"

Dart considered the question, his gaze darting to Lavits again. He turned away, walking towards the window and resting a hand against it. "It's possible. The Dragoons in the past always had a dragon that they could call on for help. The element of the dragon would match the stone. I was aware of there only being seven such dragoon spirits in existence."

"And hers?"

"That would make eight." Dart shifted, running a hand through his hair in thought. "There is a way, if there was a dragon that is powerful enough, to kill it and take its spirit. They were thought to have all been killed during the Dragon Campaign."

"That was over eleven thousand years ago. Surely, some dragon would have been able to obtain that amount of power by then?"

Dart shook his head. "Mother spoke of one dragon, the Divine Dragon. No one was sane enough to approach the beast. It would have destroyed whole cities, if it wanted to. Many thought it was best to just let it be."

Lavitz nodded, listening to the words. "We will leave in two days' time. That is the most I can give you." He turned, leaving the room. Dart sat by Dreya's bedside once more, dropping his head into his hands.

"Mother is long dead, you know."

He looked up when he heard Dreya's voice, the man letting out a snort. "If you weren't kidnapped by Winglies, how are you still alive?" he challenged.

Dreya turned to look at her brother, sitting up in the bed. She ran a hand over her chest, satisfied when she saw her pouch on the table next to the bed. "I suppose... It really was the Winglies that took you, then?"

Dart nodded, closing his eyes. "it happened maybe a month ago. I haven't been keeping track of the time very well, since I've been travelling. I ended up travelling to Hellana Prison with them before parting ways. One of them carried Damia's Dragoon Spirit."

"Meru, she's a joyful girl. You would have done better to stay with them. I made friends with the Winglies, after a time. I took on the task, to keep an eye out for the Moon Child, should they ever escape the weighted judgement passed on them so young." Dreya closed her eyes, her face hidden from Dart. "I am glad you are safe, brother."

"You killed the Divine Dragon."

"Father's spirit rejected me, after a time. It was the only way I could think of, in order to continue the path. I needed the power of the Dragoon Spirit if I were to complete my task."

Silence fell over the room, the pair collecting their thoughts.

"And the other Spirits?"

Dreya shook her head. "I know where father's has fallen to; I still have it, in fact. You have mother's and it is responding to you still. The Blue Sea Dragoon Spirit resides with the Winglies. Shirley protects the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit. As for the other three, I lost track of them over the years."

Dart nodded, considering their options. "The Moon Child wasn't killed, this last go-around."

"No, that was eighteen years ago. I haven't been able to find a trace of them, but..." Dreya sighed. "Perhaps it's hopeless and we should just bow to the will of Soa."

Dart let out a snort. "After everything mom and dad did? After what the Winglies attempted to do? Humans will want to continue fighting."

"There's a cult that struggled to get the Moon Child to live for the past five thousand years. Not once, in that time, was there a mistake made. Maybe it's the world's way of saying that it wants to move on." Dreya touched the choker, Dart shaking his head.

"We can't let it go to waste, I just got here."

"Of course you would say something like that." Dreya rolled her eyes, Dart ducking his head. "Guess you're not the oldest either."

Dart nodded in agreement. "Not sure if I like or dislike that. How... did the others go?"

"Most of them passed peacefully in their sleep. Some of them struggled until the end. There's still hope in getting you sent back, to the right time. Maybe, if we're able to fix this, we can find the way to send you back, too."

Dart frowned, "but you said I didn't come back."

She offered the man a smile, folding her hands in her lap. "That doesn't mean that we don't find a solution now, that we're working together. We may just yet do it."

"Dreya..."

"Mom died, in grief. She couldn't bare the thought of what happened. Father's Dragoon Spirit rejected me after two hundred years of serving me. I-" her voice wavered as she met her brother's gaze once again. "I killed the Divine Dragon, in hopes of seeing you again, Dart. I will rectify the situation, no matter what it takes. And it may very well require that the Winglies help us."

Dart listened, his face set as he stared past Dreya and through the wall. "And if I don't trust them?"

Dreya sighed. "I don't know, Dart. I only know what I know. They have helped me, in the past. I can understand why you don't trust them. The truth is, I didn't trust them as well. I blamed them for everything that had happened to us. Now, we can only move forward."

Dart returned his focus to Dreya, nodding once. "I will not trust them. But, I am glad you're safe. Will... will you travel, with us?"

Dreya nodded, moving to stand from the bed. She walked over to her brother, pulling him into a hug. "Yes," she breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBh, I may be putting this project on hold. I am currently looking at getting back to Vegas by the end of next month, due to health issues and the like. This is to be closer with family since the passing of my grandfather. Sorry that updates have been so long in coming.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is such a short chapter.
> 
> I am currently going across country, will hopefully get back into the swing of writing these chapters. Sorry about this one just being so... short. I am looking at following the game as closely as I can, with a few key points changed. Mainly, taking out some of the more, non-essential main bosses as fights in this.
> 
> Also, I'm terrible at writing fight scenes! So... yeah, sorry in advance, since this is probably going to be relying heavily on that.

Dreya to the men talk, having heard everything her brother had to say regarding his short time in the present. The conversation now, between Albert, Dart, and Lavitz, focused on Doel and his current plans. She grimaced as their voices debated back and forth, her gaze snapping up as she honed in on the conversation.

"Dragon?"

"Doel is working with a dragon, Feybrand."

Dreya took the information with a nod, placing her hands in her lap. "It most likely is the Jade Dragoon in use, if there is someone controlling the dragon."

"That's a stretch, isn't it?"

"It's a stretch to think that Feybrand is willing to work for a human."

Dart shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest in consideration. "I still want to go to Shirley's temple."

Dreya met his gaze when he looked at her, nodding in agreement.

"Where is the temple?"

Dreya looked up when she heard Albert's question, sighing. "It's on the way to Lohan. You have to the pass through the forest there."

"We can check on the rumors regarding a dragon in the area while we travel there as well," Lavitz decided.

"When shall we leave?"

"As soon as you can."

***

"Do you need another hand?"

Shana looked up when she heard Claire's voice, shouldering the pack she had been rifling through just moments before. Dreya glanced up as well, a look of something crossing her face before she returned to her packing.

"I think it only needs to be the four of us..." she hesitated, raising her gaze to look up at Claire.

"We have enough to make our way to Lohan, and the temple. You are welcome to join us."

Dreya watched as Claire looked between her and Shana, her gaze guarded before she shook her head. "You keep an eye on Shana for me, will you?" Shana watched as Claire walked over, resting a hand on Dreya's shoulder. "Thank you for helping me find her."

"Of course."

Dreya watched the woman walk away, her gaze drawn to Shana as the woman sighed.

"I am glad to see her, but I am also glad that she's not going to be by herself." There was a hesitation, Dreya allowing the silence to continue before Claire sighed. "I want to stay, but there are other things I must do. As long as I know that she is in capable hands, I will be satisfied with that."

Dreya reached into her pocket, feeling the cold touch of the dormant Dragoon Stone. She pulled it out, meeting Claire's gaze.

"If there is ever a time that you need me, do not hesitate to contact me."

Claire held out her hand, accepting the small stone and meeting Dreya's gaze, curiosity plain in her own. Dreya looked down at the stone now in the woman's hand, watching it flare, before she turned upon hearing her name. When she looked back, Claire had the stone hidden, leaving her empty-handed once more.

***

Dart shifted as he leaned against the wall, watching the lava flow just feet away. Shana leaned towards it, eyes glittering in delight while Lavitz and Dreya sat, each holding food in their hands but neither eating.

"Could our path have been through any more of an inconvenient place?"

Dart looked up when Lavitz spoke, a smile spreading across his face. "I think the lava offers enough ambiance. I'm sure that those back in Basil would be impressed to hear of the handsome knight concurring such destructive lands to help in the war."

"They would not-" Lavitz began.

"They were all over you when you returned back to the capital. You have fans everywhere, Lavitz."

"They were concerned for my safety." Lavitz looked positively scandalized as Shana laughed.

"Your mother was worried about your safety. The others were as well," she pointed out.

Dart nodded in agreement with Shana's words, Dreya returning her attention to the lava as the conversation continued behind her. They finished their lunch in a happier tone, the four of them getting up and heading towards the exit.

Dreya paused as she saw Shana turn, a frown on her face. She moved to catch up to the younger woman, reaching out to catch her arm but was shrugged off as she hurried down a smaller path. The men took a minute to catch up, Dreya finding Shana standing before a half submerged statue.

"We need to get out of here."

"What is that?"

Dreya looked over her shoulder when she heard Lavitz's voice, Shana shaking herself.

"I thought I heard a voice-" she began.

"It's... it's a virage."

Dreya looked up when Dart spoke, a hand resting on the hilt of his sword. She watched as he took a step back, Lavitz glancing between the two siblings before Shana seemed to shudder, her hands clasping against her forehead. There was a rumbling before them, Dreya stepping forward, her shoulders drawn back as she stared at the figure. Her gaze darted to Shana before back to the creature before them, watching as the hand shuddered, moving forward.

The four of them stepped back, Dart throwing out an arm in front of Shana to prevent her from walking forward. Dreya snorted in disgust as the thing crawled out of the lava, settling itself before them.

"What do we-" Lavitz began, Dreya cutting him off with a sharp glance.

"It's crying," Shana whispered, her words nearly lost. Each of them raised their weapons, moving forward as one.


	13. Chapter 13

_"The exact question," the young woman said even as she brushed hair out of her face, "was if there were any _left_."_

_Zeig looked at his daughter, his gaze seeming distant for a moment before he refocused on the task at hand. "There shouldn't be any Virage left."_

_"But, if they are any-" she began._

_The man sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. It was a moment before he returned his gaze to his daughter. "There have been rumors of one or two appearing within the last couple of years. They get activated whenever the Moon Child is close by. It's not something that should happen, once everything settles down."_

_"How do we know that they will continue killing the Moon Child?"_

_Zeig bit back on the next statement he wanted to make, taking stock of his daughter. She looked more like Rose than Dart had, her eyes set with a hard determination he wished he had not seen before._

_"We don't; that is why we are opening communication lines with several of the Winglies so Damia will be able to keep in touch with them."_

_He saw her tense at the mention of the Winglies', the girl's eyes going hard._

_"Can we trust them?"_

_"We have to. There is room for doubt, due to our past... dealings with them, but they are our best bet, as far as keeping an eye on the Moon Child and the situation that will come from that. We have the ability to open a line of communication with them, we must try." He weighed his own words, watching as the teenager opened her mouth before she shut it and looked away._

_"We are still looking."_

_"Mother's never going to stop looking, will she?"_

_Zeig shifted under the weight of the question, his shoulders slumping. "Your brother is important to us. We will find him, if he is there to be found. Rose is not one to give up, not easily."_

_Dreya stood from her seat, walking over to her father and meeting his gaze. "Does she remember that she still has duties here?"_

_"Without a Dragoon Spirit, she cannot continue her previous duties to the emperor. While he wishes that she would stay as council, there is little he can do in way of forcing her to stay. She is welcome to come and go as she pleases. Nothing will stop her from searching."_

_"Not even me?"_

_Zeig struggled with any answer, Dreya accepting the silence as she walked past him. "There are Virage that are left, but they are sequestered away. There is no possible way for them to be found and re-awakened."_

_"Is there any other way to re-awaken them?" She paused at the door, her hand on the frame._

_"Enough presence of several Dragoon Spirits. Why are you asking me these questions?"_

_"In case I ever run into one." The answer was simple to Dreya, though she could see how her father tensed at the idea._

_Zeig sighed. "You are not going to be running into a deactivated Virage. We're going to make sure that they're destroyed, all of them. Besides, you haven’t wanted to leave since..."_

_There was the hesitation, Dreya nodded in agreement to her father’s assessment. Her mother had done enough leaving for both her and her father. Neither were intent on leaving without answers._

_"Of course."_

_She stepped through the doorway, glancing at her father once more. He was sorting through papers, a frown present on his face. One that had been there since Dart’s disappearance. Nothing had been able to draw him out of his worry._

_She let the door swing shut, cutting her thoughts off._

Dreya gripped the hilt of her rapier as the Virage faced them, its fingers tapping out a steady rhythm against the ground.

"Go for the head."

She moved forward, dodging the hand as it darted out. There was a _twang_ and an arrow went over her head, striking the Virage's head in the center. To her right, she could see Dart aiming for the hand that was still trying to swing at them. Lavitz had a grimace on his face, raising his spear up to block the arm as it swiped at them.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

Dreya glanced over her shoulder as she heard Dart's grunted question, the Virage swinging its head towards Dart and moving to aim at him. There was a moment of tension that Dreya felt before his sword sliced through the Virage's arm, severing it with a dull thud.

There was a scream of anger from the Virage, each of the four freezing before they scattered from the beam of light that flashed from the Virage's head.

Dart ground out a snort, Dreya seeing the flash from the corner of her eye, the Dark Dragoon settling before the Virage. She saw the other two hesitate as Dart drove his sword into the Virage's head, pulling back in time for the beast to fall back into the lava.

"Run!" Dreya snapped, turning and heading out of the room. The sound of footsteps following her gave her the reassurance that the others had listened.

When they had put enough distance between themself and the monster, Lavitz turned to Dreya. "What was that?" he demanded.

"It was a Virage. They were living weapons that the Winglies put to use in the Dragon Campaign," Dreya swallowed as she spoke. Her words felt hollow, echoing around the cavern as Dart shifted unconsciously towards Shana. She was shivering, her bow swung over her shoulder.

"Let's get out of here."

Lavitz seem to break the silence that had settled over them, hoisting his spear over his shoulder. "I don't know what it is about you two, but there seems to be a lot of things that happen when you're around. Dragoons, virages... The only thing that would be worse is an actual dragon."

That got everyone to laugh, though Shana's laugh was shaken and they continued down their path. Dreya looked over her shoulder, towards the lava before her gaze dragged itself to Shana, her thoughts turning.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh fuck, I have not forgotten this story, I promise!
> 
> I just, moved across country, had a real bad depression breakdown, and am trying to do a chapter of this a day for NaNoWriMo, along with several other stories. Sorry about the silence and seemingly dropping this story.
> 
> You'll notice that I am following the game, taking out several scenes. I hope... I am not butchering the characters? It's hard to pick up on the personalities as I no longer have a game to play through and pick over personalities for. I am also taking out some stuff from the game, as I write this.
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the radio silence. And enjoy!
> 
> And, this is not edited beyond spelling errors. Sorry.

Chapter Fourteen

Dart glanced around as they reached the end of the volcano pathway, his gaze settling on Dreya. Lavits and Shana were in front and he let them continue walking, his pace slowing to match that of his sister's.

"Do you think we'll encounter more Virage?" he asked, Dreya frowning at him.

"Possibly, but it's hard to say." Dreya frowned. "Father said that they had destroyed them, for good."

"How did you end up here?"

He watched as Dreya lifted a hand, touching the pendent on her necklace. "That's the question, isn't it? We need to keep going straight!" She let her words carry as the pair in front of them came to a path that winded off to the right. Shana glanced back at them, nodding as Lavitz frowned.

"What is this place?"

"It's an old dragon's next." Dreya picked up her pace, Dart looking at her with a sigh. She moved to the front of the group, her gaze swinging across the dark forest. "We should still be careful, but I wouldn't worry..."

"There has been talk of a dragon on the move," Lavitz interjected and Dreya rolled her eyes.

"There is a temple near here. I assure you that no dragon would wish to settle so close to such pure light. Not a dragon that would..." she let her words trail off, moving forward to pull Shana away from the water. "I do not know what happened here, but it would be best if we moved, quickly."

Dart exchanged a glance with Lavitz, the pair deciding to continue forward. The air felt strange as Dart walked, the light that filtered was getting darker, the further they walked in and it was Shana, who fell through the web first.

Dart found himself following her, landing on his feet and letting his gaze sweep the area, sword at the ready as Shana climbed back to her feet. Dreya's face appeared in the faint light, looking down at them.

"Can you find a way back up?" she called, her voice echoing in the cavern.

"Not that I can see. Maybe further back?" he suggested, his gaze darting to each side. "It seems like it's one long path back. If there is something down here, or someone, they would need a way back up."

"There's a hole on the other side of this, maybe you'll find a way up over there." Lavitz' voice carried down, Dart frowning.

"Do you see a way to cross without coming down?"

Shana looked over Dart's shoulder as they waited for an answer, Dreya dropping into the hole for her response.

"No, it looks like we have to cross through the cavern."

It was a few minutes before Lavitz jumped in to join them, brushing off the back of his pants from his unsteady landing. Dreya turned, kneeling next to the pond behind them and taking a drink of water.

"It's clean, we might as well drink before we grow parched." She met their gazes, Shana joining her quickly. Dart watched, looking back up the way they had fallen. Lavitz knelt as well, Dreya standing up and taking several steps back to be by her brother's side.

"Who would have a hideout in these woods?"

"I don't know, but there's poison in the air." Dreya's voice was low, her gaze sliding to Dart. "I'm worried that Shana and Lavitz will get sick if we linger too long."

"And we won't?" Dart responded, watching as their companions stood, Shana saying something he couldn't catch to Lavitz.

"Do you like her?"

He frowned, glancing at Dreya and offering her a half shrug. "I don't know what you mean."

"You watch her, a lot."

He let out a sigh. "It's hard to believe that so much time has passed, I suppose. And she's a good kid. I don't know why anyone would put her in a prison."

The conversation fell silent as Lavitz and Shana joined them. Dart let his thoughts settle, his gaze sliding to Dreya as she took up point of the group. Dart fell to the back, hand on the pommel of his hilt. The cave seems to narrow the further they went, lanterns appearing to light the path when it grew too dark to otherwise see.

"Bandits, I would guess." Lavitz spoke up, breaking the silence.

"The air is... bad, for long exposures," Dreya muttered. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were _dead_ bandits."

Dart looked up as the tunnel widened, the four of them stumbling into a cavern. Dreya looked around, taking a step back with her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Dragon," she breathed, low enough that only Dart could pick it up.

"Dragon?" he asked, raising his voice.

"Dragon!" Lavitz shouted, raising his lance. The three of them stood in a line, Shana taking a stance behind them and raising her bow as the dragon appeared, pincers clacking. "That's..."

"Ah, you've met Feyrbrand. Oh, don't worry. He won't attack until I do."

Dart's gaze rose as a man in green came to stand in front of the dragon. His face was a mask as his gaze landed on Lavitz. "It's such a joy to see you again, Lavitz. My, how you've grown."

Dart shifted, watching as Lavitz' gaze seem to go stone cold. His grip tightened on the lance, his teeth bared.

"Greham! You betrayed my father."

"Hmm, I wish to be the best and with him alive, I would have been unable to. But, with his death, I have grown to be so much more! See how the dragon does not move?" Greham gestured behind him, Dreya's gaze raising up to look at it.

"No, he would not move until you commanded him to. It would make sense, the rumors that I have heard. Tell me, where did you find the spirit?" Dreya demanded, adjusting her grip on her rapier as she began to draw it. Dart's sword was already out, an arrow knocked in Shana's bow.

"It was a gift, when I joined Doel. He has other such trinkets, if you care to join him." Greham smiled then, though it quickly dropped from his face as an arrow flew over his shoulder and struck the dragon. Dart let out a cry, Lavitz already moving and following the attack with a rush of his own.

It was seconds before a flash of light overtook the field, Greham landing in with a grimace. "Your aim is terrible, my dear," he hissed as Shana knocked another arrow.

"Good; I wasn't aiming for you."

Dreya raised an eyebrow, watching as the dragon reared backwards, crashing down in front of Greham. It was mayhem, following that and Dart could only focus on himself, as the dragon launched an attack, splattering the group with the sticky webbing.

To Dart, taking down the dragon was surprisingly easy, Lavitz giving Greham the final blow and knocking him to the ground. He had grown up on the stories of his parents and the others fighting dragons and Winglies, both. Now, to see one of the great beasts laying on the ground, he felt almost empty.

Dreya was kneeling next to Greham, Lavitz on the other side as she checked his wounds, shaking her head. "You say Doel had the dragoon spirit? Do you know if he has others?"

Greham frowned at her, his gaze traveling to Lavitz. "I was angry at myself, for betraying your father."

Lavitz looked down at the man, watching as he smiled.

"I'm glad to see you have grown into a fine man, Lavitz."

Dreya sighed as the man passed, Lavitz reaching out and touching his shoulder. "May you find peace in death, Greham."

Dart watched as the spirit rose, feeling the tingling along his spine as it flashed, plummeting downwards and landing in Lavitz' hand.

"What... is this?"

"The wind Dragoon spirit. You must be the next bearer," Dreya responded, standing up and looking at Lavitz. There was a look of wonder on Lavitz' face, the man looking from the spirit to the other two.

"Can we get a move on?" Dart asked, reaching out to steady Shana as she swayed. Dreyan nodded, gesturing towards the webbing that was in front of them and lead up. They took it, Dart going up last and Dreya heading up first. It was a short walk to reach the end of the forest, then.

And their pace only picked up as Shana collapsed, worry plain on Dart's face as they hurried to the next town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blarg, I hate writing battles, so much. Sorry for the shorter chapter?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be honest, I've been debating just deleting this entire fic.

Dreya threaded her fingers together as she watched the form of the sick girl laying on the bed. Behind her, she could hear Dart pacing, Lavitz having had excused himself from the room.

"You're going to stress yourself out, if you keep doing that." Dreya looked up, pinning her brother with a look. He stopped, folding his hands behind his back and meeting her look with one of his own.

"What do you suggest we do, then?"

Dreya frowned. "We go petition Shirley."

"Shirley's still alive?" Dart's gaze snapped to Dreya, the girl shaking her head.

"No, but she lives in a shrine. Her ghost does, at any rate. Do we trust Lavitz?"

Dart frowned at that. "Of course I trust him. He was given Syuveil's spirit."

Dreya nodded, closing her eyes. "Then we must venture forth, mustn't we?"

Dart let out a hum, watching her in thought. SHe met his gaze, her mouth pulling into a frown.

"You haven't told me how you survived."

She gave him a shrug, her gaze dropping to where Shana lay. "If we want to hurry, we won't have time to talk about it. I don't know how much longer she has left to live, brother. And I would hate to be the reason she died."

"Are you sure that Shirley's spirit could help her?"

Dreya let out a sigh. "We both know that the Silver-White Dragoon Spirit has healing powers that neither of us are capable of. Even if it would not accept her as a bearer, it would heal her. I promised to Claire that I would keep her safe and I will not go back on that promise now."

"Let's find Lavitz and leave, then."

Dart walked out of the room, Dreya standing and following him. Outside, it was a mess of doors, in a way that had taken Dreya off guard when they first entered the city. Music flowed from about every shop and door, offering an interesting melody that overlapped in the air.

They found Lavitz quickly, the man watching a merchant from a railing. He glanced towards the pair when they joined, standing straight. "What did the doctor have to say?"

"He was unable to do anything for Shana."

Lavitz nodded, his gaze trained on Dart. "What is the plan, then?"

"We're going to a temple, to speak with a spirit that may be able to help us," Dreya explained. "It will be through the Dragon's Nest, but I am certain that we will find what we need there."

"How can you be so sure?" Lavitz asked and Dreya met his gaze, offering him a smile.

"I suppose you will just have to trust me, Lavitz."

***

The walk back through the forest was oppressive, even with the presence of the dragon gone. Dreya found it to be an ill omen, as they passed through the hole that lead to the cavern below. She veered towards the path she knew, Lavitz taking up the rear.

She could see the temple in the distance, the building offering a flare of hope and peace. She picked up her pace, pausing when they stood outside the doors.

"What is this place?" Lavitz asked, stepping up to join them.

"It's the Temple of the Silver-White Dragon. It was a dragon of healing, and became on of the great dragoon spirits during the Dragon Campaign. We talk in times where myth and legends breathe life."

"How did you learn of this place?" Lavitz inquired, Dreya turning to look at him. She pulled out her spirit, looking up at the carved dragon above them.

"There are many things I learned, reading through books. This is just another one of those places, I would assume." She caught the look Dart gave her, ignoring it as the eye in the dragon above them flared to life. "You can still feel the healing power that surges through this place. Come, we have to be quick."

It was frustrating, for her, as they began to make their way through the temple. In the past, Dreya would have gone straight to see Shirley, but now...

"Watch out!"

Dreya yanked Lavitz back as the sound of a string caught her attention, an arrow gliding to plant itself in the stone wall that he had just been standing in front of.

"Be on the lookout," Dreya warned, keeping her voice low. "There must be bandits here."

Lavitz warily drew his lance, Dart resting a hand on his sword as they proceeded forward with caution. Dreya let her gaze sweep through the temple, stilling as they come up to the steps. She could see Dart, already moving forward and, before she was able to call out a warning, she watched arrows fly towards Dart. The man ducked, making it up the rest of the stairs and stopping at the top.

"What the hell?" he asked, more to himself and Dreya heard the laughter.

"Who dares try to disturb the rest of Shirley?"

Her gaze slid up, watching as Drake appeared.

"I need to speak with Shirley, Drake."

There was a tense quiet, the bandit looking from Dart to the woman below. He drew his blade, Dart already drawing his own as the man took several steps back.

"I don't think you do," he decided, launching himself at Dart. It was a quick battle, one that was won before Dreya and Lavitz could make their way up the stairs. Dart twisted his sword, pinning the point at the bandit's neck.

"We did not come here to fight," he growled, his eyes blazing. "We only wish to speak with Shirley."

"There have been many people passing through temple as of late. Please, pardon Drake. He only wishes to protect, so those that rest here do not get hurt."

Dreya glanced over her shoulder, watching as Shirley floated to the middle of the clearing, her gaze resting on the group.

"Dreya, it is a pleasure to see you again so soon. What do we owe this pleasure to?" Shirley asked, her gaze calculating.

"There comes a time when we gather. A time that is growing more pressing than one would have thought. I've come to ask you for the White-Silver spirit, hidden as it has been for years." Dreya met the gaze of Shirley, standing at the bottom of the steps. Dart glanced from her to the ghost, his eyes going wide.

"Shirley!"

"Hello Dart," the ghost mused, turning to him. "It has been a long time, has it not?"

"How are you... here?"

Shirley considered the question, folding her arms over her chest and smiling at him. "I died, a long time ago. But I had promised that I would serve a higher cause. The protection of the Dragoon spirits are one such cause, though I cannot say the current situation will be any better than the one you left. There are things abound. Dark things and many who have cast their fates elsewhere. Fight, for you know it is your right."

Dart took a step back as the silver spirit floated down, Shirley watching the trio.

"I only wish I could see the outcome that you will find yourselves at."

"Wait!" Dreya watched as Shirley vanished, Dart holding the spirit in one hand and Drake staring at the spot Shirley had been. He was on his feet in an instant, crying out for Shirley but Dreya just shook her head.

"What did you do?" he demanded, turning on Dreya.

"Shirley finished her task, of guarding the Dragoon Spirit. I'm sorry."

She watched Drake's eyes darken. She took a step back, Dart joining her to return to Lohan.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if this interests anyone, it's NaNoWriMo!
> 
> My current goal for NaNoWriMo is as follows:
> 
> Write a chapter a day for both Tilted Wings and Not a Goodbye, do the 50K challenge for an original story of mine, and add at least something a day to another story, Nodes Tollens.
> 
> I think I can keep up that pace. We'll see. If not, this story is gonna be the first one I will start passing on. But, I do want to keep trying and get everything done! This is the month to finish fanfics that are just sorta, hanging around. So, I hope you enjoy this story!

It was easy to get lost in the doors of Lohan, Dart found. Even as he followed his sister, it was hard to keep track of where they had gone. They had left Lavits at the entrance of the plaza, the man finding an old acquaintance to talk to. Dreya had set the pace back to where they had left Shana, though she seemed to have forgotten that he was there at all.

When they stopped outside the doctor's place, Dart was surprised to see Dreya hesitate. She glanced over her shoulder, turning to her brother.

"There may be other spirits that we come across, Dart."

He frowned at that, confusion rolling off him in waves as she looked down at the Dragoon Spirit in her hand.

"I stayed, with help, to keep track of the spirits. The fact that I had lost track of even one frights me. We have found one, I know where four others are. But, there are still two that are lost to me. Do you understand?"

Dart shook his head and Dreya sighed, dropping her gaze.

"We may come across people who have these spirits and we may have to fight them."

"As we did with Greham."

She nodded, looking down at the spirit in her hand. "Do you think of the spirits as part of our parents' friends, or as something different?"

Dart hesitated, glancing at her. She met his gaze, raising an eyebrow and he looked away.

"Dart?"

He shook his head, frowning. "When we were fighting Greham, I thought of Syuveil. It was him, for a brief moment, then it wasn't. I remembered where and when we were. He had been dead, a long time. It was a hesitation that will not happen again."

He saw his sister nod, realized that she had seen the hesitation, and he looked back at the door she had stopped in front of. It was another moment before she stepped inside, Dart closing the door behind them. He felt pained when he saw Shana, the girl twitching in her sleep.

"Shana?"

He moved to step next to the bed, Dreya glancing at him and moving to the side. She reached out, holding the spirit in hand before she dropped it, watching it hover in the air.

"Shirley, please bless her with your power," Dreya murmured, watching the spirit flare. She felt her own respond, seeing Dart's glow from the corner of her eye. It was warm in the room, with the three spirits, and she smiled, though it was sad, as the spirit sank low, touching Shana's breast.

There was a pause, Shana jerking before the spirit flared, the light taking over the room and Dreya took a step back, watching as the poison was purged from her body. Dart moved to stand by Shana's side, dropping a hand to the bed as the spirit hovered before it blinked, settling in Shana's outstretched palm.

"It seems as if the Dragoon spirit has accepted you as its bearer," Dreya mused. "I will go see if I can track down Lavitz. Please, find me if you need anything, Dart."

He turned in time to see Dreya leave the room, the door clicking shut as Shana sat up, a frown on her features.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You collapsed, when we left the Dragon's lair. We brought you to Lohan, in order to cure you. However, the doctor had been unable to do anything, so we went to fetch a cure from the Silver-White dragon temple. In there, we found Shirley, who was guarding the Dragoon Spirit you now hold." Dart felt empty as he explained this to the girl. It felt strange, to be able to feel so empty.

The question that Dreya had asked was still ringing in his ears.

The sound of the man dying was fresh as well.

"Dart?"

He tore his gaze back to Shana, watching the concern on her face as he tried to offer her a smile, though it fell flat.

"Sorry, I was... thinking."

She nodded, her gaze sliding towards the door. "I feel fine. Can I go see more of the city?" she asked, turning her attention back to him and he nodded, smiling more truly now.

It would be fine, as long as Shana would be fine.

***

Dreya walked, her hands folded behind her back as she considered the events. It was nearing late afternoon, and she could hear shouts of fighting. The laughter brought her to the fairgrounds, several men clustered around the top of the ring. She leaned against the bar, ignoring the whistles and turned her attention to the fights. She found most of them to be dull, her gaze honing in on the silver haired man as he was called forth.

It was interesting to watch him fight. She could hear the men grumbling next to her, discussing the bets they had placed as Lloyd cleared the way to the finale. Dreya watched as he faced a man by the name of Haschel, though he was clearly outmatched.

It was over before it really began and Dreya made her way towards the exit, watching the defeated men walk out. She saw Haschel pause, speaking with Lloyd before he nodded, stepping out.

"You fight well," Dreya commented. Haschel smiled at her when he heard the comment, nodding.

"It's been a while since I've been in a true fight. With the dangers that are rising, I would assume that it would not be long before it happens again."

Dreya raised an eyebrow at the comment and Haschel shrugged.

"Take care on the road. I would hate for someone like you to get hurt."

She nodded as he stepped around her, ambling off.

"Strange man."

Dreya turned when she heard Lloyd's voice, meeting his gaze.

"He had no chance to win against you."

"None of them did, but it was interesting to see how my skills matched up," Lloyd agreed, folding his arms over his chest. "What are you doing in Lohan, Dreya?"

"I was collecting something from Shirley." His eyes flashed and she smiled at him. "Drake didn't let you anywhere near her, did he?"

Lloyd didn't move, except to give her the slightest of nods. "I would have liked to try again, but I have other matters to attend to. I do not expect to be in Lohan much longer."

"Would you care for lunch with me before you go?" Dreya inquired. "Perhaps we can exchange some knowledge, over food."

"And what would you have to give me?"

"The location of two of the Dragoon Spirits, if you care to tell me what you know of the Violet Dragoon Spirit."

"Such a specific question."

There was a pause and Dreya tilted her head, meeting the gaze of one of the men that had whistled at her. She smiled over Lloyd's shoulder, watching the man take a step back before turning and walking away. Her gaze snapped back to Lloyd's face, watching the impassive look in his eyes.

"We have found the Jade Dragoon and the White-Silver Dragoon. They have called themselves home to new bearers, in fact."

LLoyd let the silence linger between them, tapping his fingers against his arm in thought.

"And what will you do, if your quest to find the moon child fails?"

Dreya frowned at that. "We can only hope to look, I suppose."

"I had word that she had been in Hellena prison, just two months prior, but someone broke her out. An associate of mine had something that would identify anyone with enough moon in them."

"Then how did they fail at locating the Moon Child in the first place?"

Lloyd fell silent, his gaze casting about the area before he shook his head. "Perhaps this is not the time to be discussing this, Dreya. I am afraid that I must leave, but another time..."

She watched him slip out, following him down the path. It was easy for him to get lost and she turned when she heard her name, seeing the wide-eyed panic of Lavitz.

"The king-" he began, Dreya reaching out to steady him.

"Breathe," she suggested and watched as his gaze shifted, eyes darting from side to side. It was a moment before he could speak again, the man taking great strides to calm himself.

"King Albert has been taken to Hellena Prison. I must save him."

Dreya nodded, glancing over her shoulder. "I will go with you. We shall set out at once."

"And what of Dart and Shana?"

Dreya paused as she considered them, nodding. "We shall see if they wish to go with us. It would be wise if we moved quickly."

She saw him relax, just a fraction and the pair set off, Dreya feeling the tension boil in her gut. Too many things happening at once would leave cause for only the bad to happen, this she was sure.


	17. Chapter 17

It was strange. The prison around him felt different, yet the same as the palace. A place to be trapped, though ehre there was less kind faces to smile at him, less kind words.

Here, he was talked down to, treated with disrespect.

But, there was a sort of fluid peace of it all. Even as the morning sun was set to rise.

He opened his eyes, looking across the scene. Just beyond, he could see the ocean lapping at the distant shore, the wind crossing the clearing. They were up high, higher than he would have thought for Hellena. He lifted his head when he heard the footsteps, adjusting his hands as much as he could, tied behind his back as they were.

"You're looking fine this morning."

Albert raised his gaze, watching the hooded man cross the clearing, stepping in front of him.

"Do you know me?"

"Should I?"

The man looked vaguely familiar, though Albert could not place him. It was something of a curse, to see so many people come through his home. Even more so when he felt like he should remember people and he didn't.

The man moved, pushing back his head and Albert frowned. He could remember the man, briefly, from meetings with the Winglies, when he first...

"Lloyd."

The man let out a smile, nodding in agreement. "it is good that you remember me, Albert. I feared that our brief acquaintance would be something that you would forget."

"There is little I could forget, when it came to meeting the Winglies. What is ti that you are doing in Hellena prison?" He asked, looking up at the man as he took a step towards him. Albert had been placed in the clearing around midnight and, while he had drifted, he hadn't gotten much sleep.

He felt tired now, the weight of his situation hanging over his head.

"What is my uncle planning? What do you gain by bringing me here?"

Lloyd watched, his interest seeming to wane as he looked towards the horizon. It would be soon, he feared, that the sun would rise. Lloyd followed his gaze, watching the water.

"This has nothing to do with your uncle, I fear."

Albert frowned at that. "Then who are you working for?"

"Soon, maybe in the next several minutes, there will be a group of warriors that will break through the doors, having killed Freugel. If," he cocked a smile, "they care for you. You are a king, who carries the loyalty of Bale and its king in their blood."

Albert raised his gaze, watching as Lloyd walked in front of him.

"What do you gain, if I die?"

Lloyd paused, turning to look at him. "You know the story of the Moon Child."

He gave a nod, the pause stretching on before Lloyd smirked.

"Then, you know the history and the symbology of the Divine Moon Objects. Do you recall which one it was said that the kings of Bale carry?"

Albert shook his head and Lloyd walked over to him, kneeling behind him and placing a hand on his back. "You were said to be carrying the Moon Gem. How is it that this history has fallen to the wayside, when it is so important to this day?"

"There are a lot of things that can be forgotten. Much like how the Winglies still exist. Tell me," Albert felt Lloyd still behind him, the breath of the man hitting his neck, "if the others were to come, would you kill them simply for the gem?"

"If they got in my way, I would do what I must. The times are changing, I would hate to say it. This world needs the cleansing touch of Soa, after so long of resting in ruins."

"You are with the cult that wishes to see the Moon Child reborn?"

Lloyd laughed, his hand pressing harder onto Albert's back. "No, I want to reunite the moon child with the body and get rid of the presence of the great beast, once and for all. But, if what you want to call it is such that I will petition to get the moon child to the moon that never sets, than let you believe that."

"And where do you get your information?" Albert could see the sun, just beginning to rise. It would be a glorious morning, one that he would remember for the rest of his life, however short that may be.

Lloyd looked at him, turning to look over his shoulder and into the morning sunrise. "Everywhere. From the earth itself, to the voices that run through the trees. Soa is everywhere, if you know where to look for it. And the God of Destruction shall be destroyed, upon its very birth, on the eve of a bloody night."

He didn't feel pain as Lloyd's hand sank into his skin. It wasn't painful until he pulled out his hand, moving to show Albert the gem he hadn't believed existed, coated in his blood.

"Lloyd!"

The voice took a moment to process, Albert looking into the rising sun. It was a glorious day indeed.

***

"Lloyd!"

Dreya burst the door open, her sides heaving. It was morning, and she could see the slumped figure of Albert on the ground, Lloyd holding the Moon Gem up to the morning light. Behind her, distantly, she could hear the enraged cry of Lavitz.

"No, wait!"

Dreya felt frozen as Lavitz moved past her, a blur of wind and Lloyd was drawing a blade with his free hand. The sight of it, last in her father's possession, caused Dreya to shudder.

"You are living on borrowed time."

"Lavitz!" Dart was rushing past her and she reached out, catching her brother around the middle. It was Shana who caught her unprepared, rushing to Albert's side and fumbling with the White-Silver spirit, the object flashing in response and healing the man, as surely as if Shana had healed him herself.

Above, she could only watch as Lloyd blocked Lavitz' attack, throwing off one of his own and feinting to the side before he struck, running the man through.

"Lavitz!" Dart cried again and Dreya clung to him, feeling like a child as the man collapsed on the ground, Lloyd looking down on them in disinterest as he wiped the blood clean from his sword.

"I was not expecting you so soon, but I am glad you are here. Know this, Dreya, I will summon the God of Destruction, as surely as the moon never sets."

Dreya watched as Lloyd flung himself from the prison tower, turning her eyes back to the scene. Albert was conscious, kneeling next to his knight's body while Dart was struggling against him.

"Why won't you let me go after him?" he snarled, turning to glare at his sister.

"Unless you want to be impaled by the Dragon Buster, I would suggest not going after him." She let him go, feeling him go limp. She saw the Jade Dragoon Spirit twitch, rising from Lavitz and drifting to Albert, settling in his outstretched palm and she felt cold.

With their goodbyes made, they set off, though they dragged their steps. Dreya set a pace for Seles, determined to see Shana home, hopefully convince her to stay behind, before they made their way to Kazas.


	18. Intermission 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost didn't get this finished tonight.
> 
> Intermission chapter to bring in Claire. Then its off to Kazas. Which I keep wanting to call Kansas.

Albert sat on the chair in the small shelter. Above, it was chaos. It had been chaos for several days following his disapperance. He turned his gaze towards the entrance as it opened, watching a young woman make her way down the stairs with Shana.

Dreya turned at the same time, raising a hand in greeting. "Claire, it's good to see you."

"I hear that we're harboring the missing king." The woman's gaze scanned the room, finding Albert tucked away in his corner. He raised his gaze to meet her, finding her unimposing.

"Are you headed to Kazas?"

He met Claire's gaze, just for a moment before she turned back to Dreya. He dropped his gaze to the ground, hearing footsteps that stopped next to him.

"Yes, that is the plan. Albert has asked us to help with Doel."

Albert raised his eyes, catching sight of Shana to the side of him as Claire crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to come with you."

"What skills do you have in a fight?" Albert asked, standing up from his seat and turning to face Claire. "You understand that we aren't going for a walk in the park, correct?"

Claire turned to meet Albert's gaze, crossing her arms over her chest. "This fight between Doel and Bale has caused a lot of strife, not just for you, but for us as well. Doel's dragon destroyed my home. I'm not going to sit by and let that pass."

"Are you sure you want to fight?" Shana whispered.

Claire turned to her friend, reaching out and resting a hand on her shoulder. "There is a lot of things I have accepted about myself, in the recent times. I must finish this journey, by the side of those that carry the Dragoon Spirits. I walked away the first time, but I won't do it again."

Dreya watched, Albert glancing at her and nodding as he took in the words, weighing them against each other. "I accept your dedication, Claire."

Her eyes sparked, Dreya crossing her arms over her chest. "Then, all we are doing is waiting for Dart to return."

Albert nodded, taking his seat once more. Dreya took Claire off to the side, Shana turning to watch Albert with sad eyes.

"You were close to Lavitz, weren't you?" she asked, her voice soft.

"He taught me a lot about fighting, when I was younger. It seems... strange that he would be gone now." He closed his eyes, tipping his head back against the wall. It had been days, but he could still feel Lavitz' blood on his hands, the man's cold corpse underneath them. He opened his eyes again, trying to push the image of him far away.

Shana let out a small hum. "I never knew my birth parents, but I've learned a lot about death, as of recently. It can hurt, to know that someone you care about is gone."

"I felt it when my parents first died. At the time, I didn't have a way to fight for them. I took on the title so Icould avenge them, but I never did. Now, Doel wants a fight. He is welcome to it."

Albert glanced up, watching as Dreya headed up the stairs with Claire, the pair slipping outside. Shana watched them go, turning to look back at Albert.

"Will you burn a path through people in order to get what you want?" she asked.

He frowned, shaking his head. "No, but I will do what I must to protect my country."

"you are a good king, even if you don't see it in yourself."

Albert glanced up, watching as Dart appeared in the doorway, beckoning for the last two to join them up top. It was early, the sun just starting to rise and he could feel a breeze with the barest hint of winter on it. It was time to take the fight to his uncle, he was sure of that.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm probably not ever gonna complete this, so I have marked it finish. I'm sorry for anyone who was looking to see what the end was. I've lost interest in the idea.


End file.
